Saying good-bye

While this blog has been primarily about my boy Blu, on occasion I let my posts wander to those who preceded him. It is because of all those wonderful animals and the lessons I learned, I was ready for this bright and beautiful boy. Today my thoughts are consumed by my precious C'est La Vie (aka Colby).

Colby passed from this earth today after 26 glorious years. She was a fiery red-headed alpha mare who came into my life after the untimely passing of my beloved PSG schoolmaster due to a pasture accident. I was filled with despair when my trainer asked me to come take a lesson on Colby. I acquiesced because I did not know how to say "no". (a life long problem...) The lesson was just OK because I could not get out of my head and Colby was a bit strong. My trainer informed me Colby was for sale but I really was not ready to consider another partner even though several months had passed. A week or two passed and my trainer asked me if I wanted to go on a trail ride. I really was quite excited because it had been too long since I had been out on trail. So off we went. She was strong and wanted to take the lead. I was hanging on because I just did not know enough to let go and trust her. It was a good ride but I really thought she might be too much horse for me. Despite this, I just could not get her out of my head. Several weeks later my trainer said someone else was interested in buying her. When I heard that I said, "no, don't sell her! I want her!" There is was, I could not let her go. So we began a partnership that really took 1.5 years to cement. You could not get on Colby and just go off on a lovely ride. She had to let you ride her. After the 1.5 year struggle, I just let go and she said "FINALLY!" and we forged a partnership that took us to horse shows (through second level and scores for a bronze medal at 1st and 2nd), on trail rides and yes, bushwhacking -- going where there were no trails -- real pioneers!

So here is to you my dear Colby. You will always be in my heart and you are certainly in every ride I am graced with on the back of my sweet Blu.

I can ride

So I had a one of those rides this evening where you say "yep I really do know how to ride." Magical... please let it burn into my brain so I can replicate it tomorrow.

I started the evening with a bit of an attitude. I got Blu ready for his lesson and brought him down to the indoor only to find another unscheduled trainer in the indoor providing a lesson to a small child on a pony and to make matters worse, she had two small fences set up. I had purposely checked the lesson schedule to make sure we were not going to run into this mess. I wanted a lesson dammit!!! Besides this trainer there was another who had regularly scheduled time and I expected her and her adult student to be present during my lesson. Besides all these lessons there were two other boarders attempting to school their horses in the middle of the mayhem. ARGHHHHHHHH...

So I said to myself, "Self, get over it and own the ring." So I did. I rode like no one else was there and did what I had to do to get my boy warmed up. He was perfect by the way only snarling once at the little pony who got way too close. Linda then arrived and while it was not conducive to her teaching, she got on and schooled the first half of the lesson. He was strong so it was probably a good thing that she schooled him. The ring cleared a bit and then I got on. From there the ride was spectacular!!!! Yes, he was still very strong but I owned the ride. Blu was strong in a good way and as Linda put it -- he is very fit and sound so it is time to expect Blu to be sharp about his responses to the aids. Game on Blu! He figured it out very quickly and it was almost as if he grew several hands taller. He was on fire! What a team! He loved the fact that we upped the game. My sitting trot was just the best. Our transitions were crisp and his canter work was perfect. We did some canter half pass that was poetic... fluid, no change in tempo, bending , no rushing or leaning. It was just the best I have ever felt. We did lots of transitions trot/halt/trot medium trot to passage to collected trot and this lovely trot lateral work -- shoulder-in to renvers/ shoulder-in to travers to half pass. I did not want to stop it was so magical.

Linda praised the ride and felt my position was very strong resulting in a beautiful partnership between the Biggers and me.

How lucky am I? (Just pinched myself!) OMG can we please replicate it???

Winter training is not a favorite

Out to the barn I went and while it was a mild 32 degrees with a gentle breeze blowing at the top of Sawyer Hill, I felt the chill in my bones and dreaded the march out to the paddock to retrieve my pal.

Since the road to the paddocks was terribly icy, I cut through the main barn and when I opened he doors at the other end, there was Blu with his head high in the air calling to be let in. He had had enough and some of his friends had made it into the coziness of the barn before him. So I went up to him and hooked on his lead and he decided he had to run to the barn. WRONG! I have never had to shank him but he got it yesterday. It jolted him back to reality and instead of being 19 hands tall he shrunk to his meager 16.3. He still danced his way back up the hill though. He is not to be left behind.

After some late winter currying -- white hair flying everywhere, I saddled him up and off we went to the indoor. It was lovely because only a few friends were in the ring (they all knew how to steer so that made for a great ride!) Blu felt great from an energy perspective. He was ready to go. He wanted to go on his forehand so we spent a good deal of time working on transitions. This seemed to improve matters and I was able to manage to get some really great canter work. He was up in the bridle and all I had to do was let go. We worked on the simple changes and they were terrific. I am really focusing on keeping my weight on my inside seat bone and that seems to do the trick.

When we were done he got another currying... He is really feeling the late winter itch. I could not curry him enough. Then it was his favorite time of all... dinner!!! He may not like winter turnout but he looovvvveeesss his winter supper!