fall | Three Chestnuts

So it’s been a while since I’ve really posted anything. Partly I haven’t had too much to post, but partly I’ve just been dealing so much with a crappy period of nearly non-stop migraines and while some riding has taken place, I’ve had nothing exciting to talk about about and the rest of the time I’ve really been too miserable to care.

While I’ve been feel like crap (hopefully the new medicine regime will get them back under control), Batty’s been feeling pretty good. We’ve had some good hacks, a couple of good lessons, lots of horrific heat, and a nice trail ride or 2. Between the heat, migraines, and pony finals, we missed a lesson while my trainer was a way, but got back on track last night.

(all pictures are from a ride a couple of weeks ago).

Overall, he was a good boy for our flat work. We’ve really been working on my position at the canter in the corners. I’ve ridden super sensitive, upright thoroughbreds for so long that I’m so used to spending so much time in half seat whereas Batty is a downhill quarter horse so I need to break myself of that habit. Trainer has my half seating the long sides and sitting and lifting through the corners. Makes complete sense, I just need to get myself used to that! We’re getting there. I also don’t always like to side. I can lean back without actually sitting which is bad as well. Old habits die hard…. But, progress is being made, or so I think?

After drilling flatwork, less trot work today, and more canter work (yay canter circle and my inability to drop my outside shoulder without being reminded in one direction…) we did a little jumping. Trainer decided we’d be nice to Batty and start with something simple and easy. A tiny little gate without any boxes or flowers heading towards the in gate. Well, idiot horse decided to fight today and it took us what felt like forever to get over it, we did eventually but it wasn’t easy. He fought a bit the second time, but after that was fine with it. Strangely enough, he much preferred the jump the other direction. After that we moved on to another, more built up jump and he did much better with that. Wanted to jump it the first time but got over soon after (we sort of practice the walk up to it and ask until he goes over philosophy as they’re small enough that he can carry himself over at this height). This one he was probably the most confident with this jump.

After our brush box, we moved on to a simple gate and that’s where we found disaster. He actually wanted to jump it, but there was a stupid vine (I swear, the fake vine was annoying the shit out of him) that he was staring at and the footing made noise when it hit the plastic vine…. So, crop, spur, crop, spur, crop, spur, SUPER HORSE LAUNCH OVER JUMP and on the other side we were!!…unfortunately, not together. I just got too much weight in my right stirrup and went flying off and landed hard. It took me a few minutes to get myself together (I feel like for the first 15 seconds I couldn’t make sense when I tried to talk?) which kind of freaked me out but otherwise, we’re all ok.

It’s been a while since I’ve had a fall so I know I was due, but did I have to have a hard fall? I think I whacked my head (it hurts) though no one seems to think I did) and I don’t have so much as a scuff on my brand new helmet (ride 3?) so who knows? This morning my lower back and right hip are throbbing and I have a nasty cut/bruise on my right elbow. I think I’m going to live on Advil today…

I hate the fall. Everyone who knows me knows how much I hate the fall. I hate the darkness, the angle of the sun, the shorter days, the crunchy fall leaves and dying plants, the darkness, and the angle of the sun (those both deserved a second mention). Good things have happened in the fall like all horse purchases but Jiminy, buying my house, and getting married, but I still dislike it. But every once in a while, fall issues a beautiful, unhated day. Today was one of those days!

I’m on the reference desk tonight (i.e. Now) and on Sunday so with comp time, I didn’t have to be at work until 5. Weather was perfect; temps in the mid 70s and sunny. So I took advantage of my day off to hang out with the boys (the little butterball definitely needs his muzzle back on when he’s out on grass…).

I haven’t ridden Subi in a few weeks so I tackled him first. Being home alone plus the lack of work he’s had, I played it safe and lunged first.

Really Mom? I have to leave my friends and work?

Thanks to the warm temps and living out, Subi was pretty quiet (almost dead) on the lunge line though he did have his idiot moments. Still, I’m glad I worked him pretty hard even though he was a sweaty mess.

After lunging I hopped on and we pretty much walked forever while he cooled off. I took advantage of this time to work on the evil known as 2 point. I’ve mostly been doing my 2 point on Batty because he’s pretty flat while Subi has the big old bouncy thoroughbred stride. That said, even with the bouncier stride and leg Subi requires, he’s so much easier than Batt in that he doesn’t get annoyed or bored as easily. So on we walked through multiple songs from wicked until I could 2 point no more. But we survived and by far had out best time yet.

After 2 pointing, on dead legs, we did some trotted over poles (during which I was surprised how strong my 2 point felt) until we were both bored. Playing it safe (after all, I was alone and didn’t bother to let my husband know that I was on…), I hopped off and hand walked him around in the woods before getting back on out there. As expected, he was perfect and really prefers our “woods” ring. I really need to clear it out more in the spring so there’s more useable space. We trotting a bit (with much more effort and energy) before calling it a day.

Somehow I managed to ride Batt after Subi. I have very little to say about him other than neither of us were feeling it. He’s bored hacking and I really struggle to get him in front of my leg at the walk and trot. He really just wanted to canter and if he could canter, he sucked back and sulked. At least at the canter I could get him in front of my leg, but… He would have been thrilled to pop over some jumps but I try not to jump when I’m alone. Next ride I guess… He just gets in these moods where it’s his way or else… Usually boredom is involved. I could have hacked him out but I had the dogs out so I didn’t want to leave them. In the end we survived, but…

Three Chestnuts

The life and trials of the three red heads

Tag Archives: fall

Due for a crash landing…

2 pointing through October and a nice (?) fall day?!