Now We're Getting Somewhere

Thanks to daylight savings and my trainer leaving her real job earlier, my lesson on Monday was held during daylight hours and Peebs didn't think it was dinner time yet. Which means we had a normal Peebers and a great lesson.

I had had a not so great ride the day before, then realized I hadn't eaten all day and was middle of a sugar crash and ended the ride prematurely. I had been holding and holding on Peebs while we were trying to jump and just couldn't keep him going (holding onto the reins for deal life will do that) and I told my trainer at the start of the lesson about it and how I was trying to not let one bad ride get in my head. A and I had also reset the course and I was nervous about how I set the outside five stride line and how it really rattled me the day before. Trainer helpfully lowered the second fence in the line so it didn't look as big or intimidating.

We warmed up of a couple of single crossrails, then was told to trot the two stride. I clarified and asked if she wanted me to get three since we were trotting in and was told no, trot in and trot out of the two. We got it done, but it wasn't pretty.  I half halted so hard over the first fence poor Peebs literally paused mid jump and landed in a very inelegant heap but gamely trotted the second fence. The second time around Peebs knew what was coming and decided to just trot over the first fence and not even attempt to actually jump it.

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After a couple rough lessons, it felt we’re finally out of our funk in tonight’s lesson #goodboypeebers

A post shared by Molly Basney (@mollybasney) on Mar 9, 2020 at 7:44pm PDT

We then moved onto the five stride and started by trotting in. It was an easy six and I realized I had been making way harder in my head than it actually was. Peebs did want to drift out on our approach, but otherwise it was rode really well. The second time through we cantered in and again, it was an easy five. Trainer then put up the second fence and told me nothing changes. And I was actually able to do nothing and let the five come. I then got really bold and asked if she could make it an oxer and she agreed as long as I didn't change anything again. Peebs was starting to get tired by this point and I needed to add a little leg coming into the line, but I was proud of myself for not adding too much and trying to gun it to the oxer. We quit with that one.

 It was so nice to finally have a lesson were it feels like we're making progress instead of just spinning our wheels.  We have another lesson next week, then if it doesn't get cancelled, our first show of the season next Sunday. It's at a new to us venue that is a dressage barn/show facility but is starting to venture in to h/j shows. The plan is to do some 2'-2'3" classes and a 2' derby and then hopefully we'll be ready for the 2'6" in April.

Hypes and Gripes: Winter Boots

I'm not one to do product reviews, but there's been a few things I've loved and hated this winter and I'm lacking for content, so here you go.

Gripe: Dublin River Wide Calf Boot

I got these over a year ago, I think from RW, and initially I really liked them. But after a few wearings, things started to go south.  They are pull on boots, but have no boot pull loops to aid in pulling them on. And, somehow, I still have a pair of boot pulls in my trailer that I could use.  I usually wear a 9.5 but these only come in full sizes so I sized up to the 10 and it was very hard to fit my high arched feet into the boots. Once they broke in that became easier, but then the heel in the left boot started collapsing and pulling them on, especially over jeans, became damn near impossible. They also came up mid calf which I thought was fairly short, especially since I'm only 5'3".

Hype: Ariat Coniston Pro Boot

So I went looking for an easier winter boot to get on and off, and something that came up higher on my leg. I really liked the look of the Ariat Coniston, and with a zipper up the back and laces up the front, I hoped it would fit my wide calf even though it only came in one calf size. I didn't like the $399 price tag, but found a nearly new pair on ebay in my size for half off. I LOVE these boots.  The leather is nicer than the normal Ariat tall boot leather (at least the leather on my old Ariat tall boots from 10yrs ago) and they felt broken in immediately (which to be fair they had been worn less than 10 times before I got the, but still). I've been able to fit them over thin breeches, thick breeches, and jeans easily. They also come up as high as normal tall boots which I really like. They're insulated, but even on warm days I find myself using these over my paddock boots and half chaps.


 

Not the Lesson I was Looking For

I know bad rides and bad lessons are part of riding, but our last few lessons have been not the lessons I've wanted. Both have been at night, and while Peebs wasn't fired up like our last lesson, he was just not with it and not making things easy.

No media from the lesson so enjoy these unrelated pics from the past few weeks

Peebs was distracted and very much wanted to go back to the barn for friends and dinner. We had a couple very egg shaped circles when he tried to throw his shoulder in the direction of the gate and pretty much tuned me out.

We warmed up over a couple singles before schooling the outside line. I had told my trainer that when I has schooled it a few days earlier we kept getting 4.5 strides. It's set as a short five, but Peebs had been usually forward and I had to hold him back hard to get the five. We started going towards the gate in my lesson and the first time through Peebs zig zagged his way down. He first darted left, then right, and the five became a little long. My trainer put out a guide pole and told me to ignore his antics and ride him straight down the line. The second time was much better and an easy five so we then tried to the other direction.

Cinder showing off

The wheels really fell off the bus because this way because we had to canter past the gate and go away from home. There was much shoulder throwing and slowing down and general naughtiness from Peebs before we decided to just trot into the line. He still wanted to be crooked, but we did actually jump the first fence and continue down the line when we trotted in. We did it a few time to make sure it wasn't good luck before taking a walk break.

Please stop growing taller mare

I was pretty frustrated at the point, because we could barley get around a cross rail line and I had been jumping him higher earlier in the week. I know the witching hour and darkness probably played a part, but Peebs is normally so easy going about things it throws me when he has issues. I am glad we had the meltdown with my trainer present, because I probably would have gotten off way sooner and not pushed things without her there.

I found part of Cinder's baby tooth while I was cleaning her stall

To end the lesson my trainer wanted me to try a single fence on the diagonal that I had had trouble with schooling on my own. I hadn't been able to find a distance to it to save my life, as it was on a short approach off the turn going past the in gate. I was slightly worried that with his tantrum about going past the gate we would have more issues with it, but surprisingly we nailed on the first try. It was a little long, but I kept him straight and rode forward to the fence and saw it was going to be long instead of chucking the reins at Peebs and letting him find the distance. My trainer let me quit with that and I was happier that we at least managed to do something right.

We have another lesson on Monday, and thanks to my trainer being available earlier in the day and Daylight Savings, we won't be riding in the dark. It will still be close to dinner time, but I'm curious to see if the daylight will make a difference in Peebs.

The Forbidden Bromance

Peebs is generally a friendly horse. He tend to like everyone and everything and is happy going up to new horses and saying hi. That said, he can be an asshole and tend to be top dog in herd dynamics. Mainly he wants to play or say hi to the other horses and then is all about grazing and will get pissy when other horses *cough Cinder cough* want to keep playing.

All day, every day

 Blue, a mid-twenties Paint, is the herd boss at TCF.  He was born on a ranch in Colorado, and is the type warhorse who has seen some shit and doesn't put up with anything. He's a pretty benevolent leader, but isn't afraid to lay one on someone *cough Cinder cough* when they need to be put in their place. When he and Peebs were put out together in the big field last summer, there was a brief pissing match, then they seemed to basically ignore each other. Peebs bossed Cinder around while Blue ran herd on Giz (the other retired twentysomething QH) while Scottie floated between the two groups.

Blue acting all tough and Peebs gives no shits

A couple of weeks ago A and I were doing barn chores and moving somethings around and I put Peebs out with just Blue in one of the smaller paddocks. It was the first time they had been out with just the two of them, and the first time out together since Peebs had moved back. There was some initial squealing and striking from Blue but then they seemed to calm down. I went back to cleaning, poking my head out a few times to watch. I have no idea what clicked between the two of them, but they quickly became Bros4Lyfe. They were deeply involved in a game of bitey face and Blue was acting like a three year old instead of a 23 year old. When I went to bring them in for dinner, they took off and wouldn't let me catch them. Peebs is normally first at the gate at dinner time and it took A and I 10 minutes and a bucket of grain before we could catch them. Peebs has never chosen play over food before.

Ok, maybe he gives some shits

They were turned out together with the others later that week, and basically spent all day playing together. They play bite face, squeal, strike, kick, and go after each other. Two blankets have been destroyed in the process and both boys have multiple nicks on them. The day I took these pics Blue, Scottie, and Peebs were out together.  Obviously Blue and Peebs were involved in their own little world while Scottie was standing at the gate imploring me to get him out of there. They had been out for 8 hours and according to A's mom, had been doing that all day.

30 seconds after this they were back to bite face

We've since separated the two of them, since replacing blankets is expensive. And while I don't think they'd intentionally hurt each other, I don't want this game to get any worse.  We're tentatively planning on putting them back together this summer in the big field, once everyone's not wearing blankets anymore. 

Tuesday Night Light

A few weeks ago a light got installed at one end of the arena. Because of how the property is set up, they were only able to trench and run wire to the end closest to the barn so that's where the light is. In order to run wire to the other end of the arena, a trench would have to go down the center line. Both A and I agreed it wasn't worth destroying the arena base and footing.  Thankfully the light they got is super bright and a second one really isn't needed.

I hadn't ridden under the light until our lesson last night, but I have lunged Peebs with it. In true Peebs fashion, he didn't care about it at all and didn't give any shits about the shadows or the dark end.  He did have a ton of energy and bolted after trotting our second cross rail. My trainer said she could see it coming and once I got him stopped she told me to get off so we could lunge him. I halfheartedly thought about riding through it, but decided I like living and having unbroken limbs, so I agreed. I hopped off and tied up my reins and stirrups and let him rip. My trainer shook the lunge whip at Peebs once and he spent the next five minutes trying out for the Kentucky Derby.

Much saner Peebers

Once he got his brain reinstalled, he was much more his usual self. We trotted two single cross rails on the diagonals before doing a bending line between the two of them. I had told my trainer I set them with the intent of doing the bending line and that I wanted to more of a boomerang shape to continue working on getting him off my inside leg and not letting him fall to the inside. There was a much more direct, straight line between the two fences, but I was going for more of an equitation line rather than a jump off line.

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Sound on for the best cheering section #squadgoals #thanksforbeingmycheerleaders #underthelights #goodboypeebers

A post shared by Molly Basney (@mollybasney) on Feb 19, 2020 at 7:00am PST

We ended up going both directions on the line and Peebs was perfect, it a little lazy. I was able to keep him out and only kinda sorta let him fall in once. Hopefully he got all his crazies out last night and we can continue to school this line later in the week.

#BadGirlCinder

I haven't been doing much with Cinder this winter. First, while Peebs was at GS I didn't have time/energy/daylight to get to both barns everyday and mess with Cinder. She was still getting handled daily and turned out, so I wasn't too worried. I'd pull her out 2-3 times a week and groom and do some ground work. Then her feet got shitty and she went through a growth spurt where her back resembled that of a dachshund, her neck was like a giraffe, and she skinny and gangly AF. I took her blanket off as little as possible during that time. No one needs to see that.

That looks a bit better

Peebs got his stifles injected on Friday so he had the weekend off. That meant it was time for Cinder to go back to "work". I pulled her out Saturday and we did a little groundwork/lunging in the arena before I let her loose to play. She was very concerned about the puddles and showed off her princess status by refusing to set a hoof in them.

She didn't see this one till the last minute and had to scramble to avoid it. 

Yesterday I tacked her up for the first time in a few months. She was totally fine with it and we did maybe about 5 mins of lunging before she decided she was done. Cin's not one to roll in the arena, she normally only prefers to roll in her stall and shavings, but for the first time ever she tried to go down with my saddle on her. She got her front legs folded and on the ground before I could get her up. She got called very bad names and poked with the end of the lunge whip.

She has no shame

I've started talking with the trainer I hope to send her to and she thinks she'll have room to take her in May. I can't wait to send her off to training and let her be someone else's problem get her real training going!

Back in the Groove

Peebs has been at TCF for almost two weeks now and we've been getting back in the groove and feeling great. The one down side to TCF is that they only have an outdoor arena. But I'll take that outdoor any day over GS' indoor. GS had super dusty footing and I couldn't leave jumps set up. TCF has great sand that holds up to all the rain and I can set any jump/pole exercises I want. Peebs and I have already jumped more in the past two weeks than we did all of January.

I set up these poles on Saturday and have practiced over them three times now! No more setting something and only getting to school it once

Our local shows have finally started posting their schedules for this year and I'm tentatively making our show schedule. I'd really, really like to qualify for this years local medal finals so that's what we're working towards.  Medal finals are the end of August and to qualify to have to get 10 points or show and complete the course in 3 qualifying classes. So working backwards, I'm planning on 4 shows to get my 3 qualifiers. One in April (my birthday weekend), maybe one in May (dates are still tentative), one in June and one in July. There is a show the weekend before finals in August, but I really don't want to have to do the last chance qualifier. And I'd really have to up both Peebs and my fitness if we show back to back weekends.

You don't get these views riding inside

I'm excited to get back to showing, and having a goal to work towards. And Peebs is definitely happy to get back to jumping instead of boring flat work al the time!