Working hard and... clinic-ing?

So, Andi has been in work for the past month, and Sherwood... has not. She had a pair of nasty abscesses in her front feet that first, we were treating (lame), and they blew out her soles, so now she's also lame. Lovely. But... at least we're on the path of recovery.

Andi has been working hard on his transitions, forming and maintaining a steadier contact, and is helping me understand how to be a better contact-manager. If you know me, you know I bought an OTTB who is one of the least amateur-friendly horses most trainers have met. I am definitely one of those riders who skirted the line of "overhorsed." From the very beginning, our trainer on LI would tell me that I was an good match for Sher- partly because she didn't know another ammy who'd keep getting on, and partly because.. it takes a lot to intimidate me. Many years of repetitive abuse from this horse later, and.. I've got some PTSD, as Jess Halliday puts it. But... I stay just under that line because we have progressed. We have gone from a broncing nightmare horse who would literally attack other horses to.. placing in a large class at a recognized USEA competition. Even WHILE broncing out in the warm up ring and victory gallop. She was great in between...

Anyway. Long story shorter- I suck at forming a connection and maintaining contact. I was really just learning to get Sher to use herself better when we were put out of commission. So, I'm super happy Andi is, in his own way, helping me figure out how to 'FEEL' the knowledge I 'know'. If that makes any sense.

We had a lesson at JH's, and although I think we could have done better (as always), I was super proud of what we did have. After a year off, and a month back, he was spectacular. We even jumped around a little bit! And, even better, I was told that the work we'd put in up to this point was good, solid, thoughtful work. Lots of transitions, lots of stretchy trot so he doesn't get stiff, lots of lateral work, not a lot of jumping although we do use trot and canter poles to work on some other things. I'm so excited that the struggle of training Sherwood myself without a trainer (ever) getting on her is now paying off in that I can actually reproduce similar results while keeping him a happy horse.

I'm also bittersweetly excited about the arena. It's almost done. I know, I know- I've been waiting and praying and hoping and cursing about this arena, and now it's bittersweet?? Geez. Make up your mind, woman! Well, it's turned out a biiiit more expensive than originally thought. Okay. A lot more. Like... a lot, a lot. So it's causing some tension between Logan and I. And I hear you thinking- wait! Who's this Logan dude?? How come I've never heard of him? Logimoose is effectively my fiancee, without the ring- which he'd love to give me, but never will be able to because I spend too much money on horses (this arena just clinched that we will never have one! lmao). Yeah- so, we had a 6' grade change down the long side and high groundwater. Hence- we had to add in a retaining wall for the downhill short side, a TON more subbase than previously expected, and drains. So.. Yeah. Who wants to ride on a gorgeous professionally done ring???? Oh, wait... ME!!!! Once I figure out how to pay for it... teehee.

Pony vacation??

The ponies have had enough vacation, I decided. It was, in fact, a mention of a particular 3-phase that might have got me off my arse. This particular venue pissed me off previously and now.. Now I just want to go there and kick ass. Not likely with my year off horses, but... One can dream, right?

So, friends of ours bought a house with a convenient 3-stall barn, round pen, and riding ring. Too good to be true, right? And offered to take ponies while we seeded the paddocks. So.. I may have been covertly working ponies for the past 2 weeks  in hand and in the round pen, but I think this weekend we will hop on Andi and see what he's good for. Sher is seen by the farrier this week- she's still a touch ouchy on the right front, but it does seem to be improving even jsut in the past week in the not rocky as hell footing of this new barn. So.. farrier is coming Tuesday, and we'll figure them out then. They are both super happy to not be living together, a fact which has prompted me to put in separate sacrifice areas at our house, and move all my shit out of the left side of the barn. Woot!

The friends offered to keep them until the arena is done, and I gladly took them up on it! Yay!

This was her first day back, and it's only gotten better from here. 

Andi's pictures, looking back, just.. are so blurry. I will take more when I see them tomorrow!