tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-80207130897832684962024-03-13T09:39:52.908-07:00The Aspiring EquestrianPaolahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17010335773772355225noreply@blogger.comBlogger417125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8020713089783268496.post-32373369106079149432017-06-29T02:58:00.004-07:002017-06-29T23:29:32.506-07:00Hacking through the Swedish WoodsHey all! I know it's been a while, but I've been too busy with school to ride. I met a new friend a couple months ago in a new Spanish class who has ridden her whole life, she and her family breed and train warmbloods for show jumping. About a week and a half ago a new filly was born! Her name is Come Fortune. She is a cute little light bay with a white marking on her face. When I met her a few days ago, her teeth hadn't even come in yet. I spent time scratching and petting her, and she rubbed and sucked on my hand a bit. She was the youngest horse I've ever met, so it was a fun experience. I also met several stallions and some of the riding and breeding mares. They were all very nice.<br />
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I got the opportunity to ride one of the mares, a bay named Cocco. She was a very pleasant horse, a real "thought-reader" who was sensitive to the rider and barely needed to be touched to do what I wanted. She also had one of the most lovely canters I have every ridden; it was smooth and easy to ride.<br />
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My friend and I rode on the trails, talking and enjoying ourselves, and even went of the path and into the woods and fields. Unlike the golden and brown summer grass in California, the fields were of verdant green grass and flowers, some of which were the purple and blue lupin flowers, just like the ones in Calfornia. It was also lovely to ride through the shade of the trees and past some old farms. My friend said that one of the old farms we passed had been used in a famous old Swedish movie, but I do not recall the name. <br />
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We walked for most of the time, but in some portions we allowed the horses to canter freely. It was exhilarating to let loose and to canter freely outside of the arena, and I feel it was much easy to ride the canter like this. I rose out of the saddle and could easily rode her smooth gait. It was so great to be back in the saddle on such a lovely horse and ride in the open with no pressures. Paolahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13169356458758529349noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8020713089783268496.post-54045332932441709632017-04-02T04:05:00.002-07:002017-04-02T04:05:46.067-07:00First Ride BackMy first ride back was fantastic; I feel like I picked up almost where I left off! I was able to use my seat properly and turn with mostly my body, not my hands. I went to a large riding stable with an indoor arena and at least 50 horses and ponies total, many of which looked much nicer than the average horse I'd see at barns or pastures in California. It was quite a new experience, riding in a indoor. I rode in a group lesson, as is common here in Sweden, on a beautiful black gelding named Ben. It became clear that I was given the most challenging horse of the group to ride. Ben is sensitive; he requires hardly any aids at all to walk, trot, canter, and turn. This can be challenging in some ways, as you can imagine, because it means that he often is faster than the rider wants. However, I personally like these kinds of horses because I enjoy having a horse that is responsive and that I do not need to work hard with to get a forward gait(and I like the speed too, if controlled. I feel like I handled him well. I applied what I learned with Laura about using my seat to slow Ben down to a comfortable to pace at all gaits. I also tried keeping all the visualizations she has taught me in mind while I rode.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I love Ben; he is so gorgeous and fun.</td></tr>
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This did occur right away though. It took a little bit to get a feel for him. I started the lesson with a warmup in walk, trot, and canter, and then the group and I moved on to jumping. I had told the instructor that I did not have much experience with jumping, but the fences were low, so I felt confident in my abilities. For the first exercise I was supposed to jump over a fence, circle at a set of poles several strides away, and then jump the next fence. The first time through, I was not so successful with keeping Ben at a desireable pace, and he went through the exercises uncontrollably. I was a bit flustered when I lost my stirrup after the first jump and when the band came of my stirrup(it was those jump stirrups with the break-away band on the outside; the instructor did not have an extra band, but I rode well without it from then on, once my heels were down).<br />
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However, for the rest of the exercises, in which more jumps were included, I increased my focus on my leg position, on posting the trot slowly, and on using my seat to slow Ben to a desired pace. I felt like by the middle of the lesson, Ben and I were really working together. He kept at a comfortable pace and listened to my aids. I even felt comfortable cantering the final jump.<br />
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The trainer believes that I did a good job with Ben, and my mom thinks that my seat and my hands were much better than that of many of the other rides(she thinks I kept my hands steady and made good use of my legs to turn). The only comment the instructor made was that my lower legs were all over the place, but I think that will improve as I develop my muscles again. <br />
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There is one thing I noticed about the teaching here that is not the same as how Laura taught. That is that while the instructor told us what exercises to do, she did not focus very closely on techniques. With Laura I would be guided at almost every moment--told when to fix my position, lift my hand, or to change something in my riding and reminded when to look up and straighten out. I know these are all things a rider should consider on his or her own. However I feel like with Laura's method I gain more of a solid foundation than with what I have seen of this lesson so far, although these kinds of lessons may move forward to knew things more quickly. This is just an observation of the different teaching methods I have experienced, not really something I am picking on. I know that how I learned with Laura is not how all instructors teach anyway. Regardless it is great to be back and to have an instructor to guide me. I hope to continue riding here, and then in the summer I would like to train with Laura. <br />
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Well, that is all for now!<br />
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Paolahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13169356458758529349noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8020713089783268496.post-78556215296781493032017-03-21T07:40:00.001-07:002017-03-21T07:40:24.434-07:00I'm BackI know I have been gone for a long time, but I have been very busy with school. I have been studying the IB program, which takes so much time; it is an intense program. Also I have not yet been able to ride yet here in Sweden. However I am looking into a place and will try to begin to soon! I even have a friend here who used to ride, but he does not anymore because of how busy he has been with school. Still, it is fun to know a guy who has some common interests. <br />
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These past few months I have tried several new things, including learning hip hop and Arabic dance and training jujutsu. I have been working on a dance choreography and I'll post the video once we complete it! The jujutsu instructor has been impressed with my strength and how quickly I learning, and I am convinced that part of this comes from riding horses. It is fun to learn to fight and to defend myself. My instructor thinks I can graduate to my first belt, the yellow, by summer!<br />
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Anyways I hope the riding stable works out. It will only be once a week with how busy I am with school and with how far away the place is, but it will be a lot easier to travel to sicne I can take the train and the bus on my own. I'll try to post more often, even if it is not completely horse related!Paolahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13169356458758529349noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8020713089783268496.post-87654873171976294172016-08-18T04:39:00.001-07:002016-08-18T04:39:11.447-07:00I'm Still Alive, and I'm Starting SchoolI haven't been posting on the blog much because I still haven't found riding opportunities since I'm still not completely settled in yet(I don't move into an apartment with my family until October). Once I do, however, I'm sure I will find riding opportunities. There are many lesson barns in Sweden, and the landlord's daughter rides horses. It's frustrating not riding, but I have enough keeping me busy these next few months.<br />
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On Monday, I start school. I will be attending a school called Per Brahegymnasiet, which was built in the year 1283. It is a beautiful old building that has a magical feel to it because of its age, as if it were Hogwarts. <br />
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There I will be studying full IB. IB classes are international classes that are at an international standard; they are typically more challenging than regular classes. All the classes will be in English, but I'm am taking a Swedish as a second language class as well. In addition to that, I will be taking English at a Higher Level, History, Physics at a Higher Level, Advanced Mathematics at a Higher Level, and Chemistry. <br />
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I'm focusing heavily on math and science because I someday hope to study astrophysics or quantum physics at university and work as a researcher to discover new information about these fields of work. Learning about how the world works truly fascinates me. I find these things - events that happen on the largest scale, way out in space, and the things that happen on the most minute scale within the atom - truly extraordinary.<br />
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I'm looking forward to classes. I'll endeavor to keep this blog active, even though I do not have horse information to post about. Paolahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13169356458758529349noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8020713089783268496.post-51608016886160551112016-07-17T03:12:00.001-07:002016-07-17T03:12:24.757-07:00DIY Horseownership Stall SignRecently, I asked the talented Olivia of <a href="https://diyhorseownership.com/" target="_blank">DIY Horseownership </a>made a stall sign, which I gifted to Laura. I've been wanting to get something for Laura to show my appreciation for all she has done, and something beautifully handmade seemed perfect! Laura loved her gift!<br />
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If you haven't visited Olivia's blog yet, go check it out. She makes many creative projects and also goes on fun adventures with her mule, Nilla, and her husband.Paolahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13169356458758529349noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8020713089783268496.post-91302762861825932562016-07-11T10:51:00.000-07:002016-07-11T10:51:34.975-07:00Swedish Tack Store!Last week I was away from home at a summer camp for youth from Sweden, Norway, Denmark, and Iceland. It was an amazing experience and I met so many great people whom I consider to be friends(my first new friends since leaving the US). I've also had several other exciting adventures, but nothing horse related has happened until last Saturday, when I visited a tack store! There were several things that stood out to be about this store that makes it different than my experience in California.<br />
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Where I lived in California it was difficult to find a tack store because most of them were not in the main part of town. A person had to go out of the way, to the industrial or agricultural area of town where people buy tractors and farm equipment. This Swedish one, however, was in a large shopping center situated in the main part of town. It is much more accessible than the stores I've been to in California.<br />
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Another exciting thing about the store is that it carried mostly English riding supplies. Of course I don't have anything against Western; I've enjoyed riding Western and have become more open-minded about different riding disciplines. Nevertheless, I'm an English girl at heart. My heart leapt when I saw gorgeous dressage and jumping saddles, English bridles and pads, and tall boots and paddock boots. All these equipment seemed affordable too, and I think that were less expensive than some things I have bought online in America. There were name brands too, including Ariat, Toulouse, and Horseware Ireland. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">There was bling on a lot of things(helmets, saddle pads, bridles)</td></tr>
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While there, I tried on some helmets(I need a new one) and looked at the affordable breeches and everything else there. I didn't purchase anything, but simply looking was great. I'll stop here when I need some horse equipment!Paolahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13169356458758529349noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8020713089783268496.post-39873617743548823022016-06-27T09:37:00.001-07:002016-06-28T09:16:53.314-07:00Greetings from Sweden!I've haven't been posting anything since coming to Sweden, so I wanted to say that I'm doing well.<br />
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On June 5th, my family woke up at the crack of dawn and drove off to Las Vegas from what once was our home in Northern California. The trip wasn't very eventful. We stopped at a few rest stops along the way and that was it. The one we stopped at for lunch was actually one we had stopped at many times before on various road trips. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A song from U2' s Joshua Tree album played on random shuffle so I had this picture taken.</td></tr>
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In about mid-afternoon, we arrived in Las Vegas and checked into our hotel. We stayed two nights, walking done the Strip each day to find places eat dinner. We had been to Vegas before that, so we didn't go out of are way to see things, but we still did a fair bit of walking and I several photos. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I find the Ministry of Magic!</td></tr>
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On Tuesday afternoon, we headed to the airport so we could wait for our flight, boarding the plane around 6:00 in the evening. Each seat had a screen where the passenger could watch movies(not so unusual, but awesome) and even track the flight of the plane(location, elevation, speed, etc). I watched two movies, but I also enjoyed tracking the flight of the plane. Though I tried to sleep, I only got a few winks of sleep. I have trouble sleep when traveling in cars, and apparently airplanes too, and once it was light out, it was impossible to sleep. Nevertheless, I was to excited to feel very tired. Once the plane began to land, I admired the landscape from above. The dark, snowtopped mountains and fjords of Norway were particularly stunning.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I'm leaving on a jet plane, don't know when I'll be back again</td></tr>
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Around 3:00 in the afternoon, we landed in Sweden and took a train south toward Småland, where my grandma lives. We took a short train first, and then transferred to a train that we rode for several hours across the countryside. It was a comfortable train, equipped with tables and Wi-Fi, and it went at a speed of 200 kph. However, getting to the train, boarding, and unboarding was difficult. Between the four of us, we had seven large bags, four hand luggage bag, and a small purse. Each of the large back was filled to the limit set by the plane: 20 kilos, or 44 pounds, if you prefer. <br />
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When leaving the second train in Nässjo, we had to pile everything by the doors several minutes ahead of time to make sure we got off with everything. After the train ride, we were picked up and taken to a very small town south of Jönköping. Since arriving, my family has gone on at least one walk a day, exploring the area. We can walk to the grocery store, a cafe, and a small train station from where we're staying, but we mostly just explore. I now know the community very well. I have even found a hiking trail that leads to a lake. The path is about 8 km, there and back.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This picture was taken at 10:00 PM</td></tr>
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Since it is summer, it does not get fully dark. At midnight, it is twilight out. The sun is down and a few stars are out, but it is light enough to see easily. Distant objects don't even appear as silhouettes. It was strange at first, but it's nice. I'm.but looking forward to winter lightning, though, when it gets dark in mid-afternoon. In Stockholm, there will only be 3 or 4 hours of daylight during the winter solstice.<br />
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<b>Sweden</b><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">An old farm we drove to </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">After living in the drought-ridden California, it was amazing to see dozens of lakes in one area. This is the one we walked to.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This area of Sweden, Småland, has many of churches</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I went to my first Midsummer Celebration!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Eksjö, a historic Swedish town </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit.</td></tr>
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I won't have any riding opportunities any time soon unfortunately, but hopefully I can once I get settled into a more permanent place.Paolahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13169356458758529349noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8020713089783268496.post-65062608990097713162016-06-02T11:13:00.000-07:002016-06-02T11:18:05.086-07:00A Wonderful RideIt seems unbelievable, but my time of leaving for Sweden has almost arrived. The move will be bittersweet, because I'll miss the friends that I have in America, and I'll miss being a working student for Laura. It has been so wonderful to know her, work with her, and learn from her.<br />
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On Wednesday, I had my last lesson with her and my last ride in America for a long time. I was given the privilege of riding my choice of mule. I chose to ride CR Moxie J, the mule who won Dressage, Western Dressage, and English Pleasure at Bishop Mule Days last week.<br />
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The only way I can think of to describe what it was like to ride him is amazing. He is the most trained animal I have ever ridden, and as such, he wasn't just a pushbutton lesson horse like many of the animals I have ridden. He has the most amazing gaits I have ever ridden. When I set him up properly and rode him in front of my leg, his walk was loose and free. He's a big mule, so I was able to ask for large trot strides. Perhaps his most amazing gait, however, was the canter. The transition to the canter was always smooth. All I had to do was making a kissing sound, and he would roll into the canter. His strides had a lot of bounce to them, and they felt almost effortless to ride. <br />
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As I rode, I focused on keeping my body balanced, since any unbalance could affect my riding. When that was in place, I asked for forward, rhythmic gaits. I tried to keep an elastic connection between my hands and the bit, giving to Moxie slightly when he gave to the bit and became soft and round. It was so amazing when he did so. Because of the soft connection and roundness, I could allow him to stretch when I took a few moments to walk and catch my breath. He stretched so nicely; it felt great.<br />
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I worked on a lot of circles. At one point of the ride, after I had ridden each gait many times, I rode each 20 meter circle in the arena one after the other(not a serpentine; I stayed on the same rein in this exercise). I started at the walk worked up to doing the exercise in the canter. When I kept a soft connection and the right amount of bend in Moxie's neck and body, things felt extraordinary. It was amazing how effortlessly Moxie could do things.<br />
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I'm so happy that I had such an amazing last ride in America on an amazing mule. I'll miss riding mules when I go to Sweden. They're such amazing creatures, and I hope to tell European equestrians about them.<br />
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<br />Paolahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13169356458758529349noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8020713089783268496.post-2257094258741966522016-05-21T10:03:00.003-07:002016-05-21T10:03:30.421-07:00San Francisco TripI apologize for being MIA these past couple months; I've been terribly busy getting ready for moving overseas to Sweden. I have been out to the barn, helping Laura get ready for Bishop Mule Days and watching her ride with her trainer, who rides FEI horses. <br />
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On Friday the 20th, my family went to San Francisco to get our passports finalized. We took the BART from Colma into town. While in San Francisco, we wandered all around town. Below are some of the photos that I took while there.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> Fishing Pier</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bay Bridge viewed from Pier</td></tr>
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The things below here come from Fisherman's Warf.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is the Sorting Hat. I found it in the Mechanical Museum, where there are many old arcade games. Most of the games are mechanically operated and are from before the days of video games. I also played a mechanical bike race game with my brother(you had to twist nobs to move the bikes) and won. My brother played Pong with my dad and was defeated by many points. I watched a mechanical galloping horse, but I haven't uploaded the video. It was very exciting to see the museum, and I highly recommend going there next time you go to San Francisco. </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">From right outside, by the WWII submarine and ship. </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">WWII ship called the O'Brien. My dad told me that many of those ships split in half and sunk because of a design flaw(the ports were squares, not circles).</td></tr>
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Then we to the Norwegian Church, where my parents were married 18 years ago. It has a marvelous view.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Of course we went to Lombard Street just after, and I took a picture.</td></tr>
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We then walked back to the BART station, returned to our car, and headed. Except for spending about an hour getting our passports, another hour in the Norwegian Church, and about 20 minutes eating lunch, we spent the entire day walking or standing.<br /><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Moss Beach, near Pacifica</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My parents lived in Pacifica before I was born, and my mom worked in Half Moon Bay.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dune Beach, not very far from Half Moon Bay</td></tr>
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<br />Paolahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13169356458758529349noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8020713089783268496.post-85143179778243738342016-04-08T07:53:00.000-07:002016-04-08T07:53:13.396-07:00Donkey Days 2016Last weekend was an exciting weekend filled with donkey riding in the annual Donkey Days clinic taught by JoDe Colllins. I rode a green jenny named Flo, who was a sensitive and willing. She willingly tried many of the obstacles, even though some were new to her. As I rode, I noticed that I was better at guiding Flo through the obstacles and asking her to do what I wanted than I had been the last time I had ridden a donkey, which was a year ago. It goes to show that I have learned a lot in the past year, and that I have really fine-tuned my riding skills. I was able to keep my hands in front of me, rather pulling them out to the side to turn. This kept my aids more effective. I also tried to use my leg to ask Flo to do certain things. Over the weekend, the other clients and I worked on several obstacles courses. Since I had practiced some of these obstacles last year, I was prepared to take them on.<br />
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<span style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">I first rode through some pool noodles. Flo was hesitant to try at first, but I was instructed to ask her closer one step at a time. With donkeys, patience is required. You cannot force them through something if they decide they do not want to do something, because once they decide to tune everything out, they are impervious to everything. Flo did not get to this point. I asked her closer to the noodles one step at a time, until she leapt through.</span></span><br />
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<span style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">I next went over a tarp with the same process, and then the cavaletti and a small wooden box, and finally a ramp. Everyone tried more obstacles on their before we went on a trail ride down a dirt road. </span></span>On the trail ride, Flo really started walking out, taking huge walk strides and staying near the front of the group. I didn't need to apply leg or really use many aids at all.<br />
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The next day also included a variety of obstacles and ended with a trail down a different road. It was fun to ride a donkey; they are so very different than horses. If you would like to learn more about them, look at the <a href="http://www.americanmuleassociation.org/" target="_blank">AMA</a> website, or you can ask me and I can try to find out the answer.<br />
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Paolahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13169356458758529349noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8020713089783268496.post-67337527635708328142016-03-28T13:59:00.001-07:002016-03-28T13:59:19.035-07:00True HarmonyWhen riding Lucky, there have been times when I had glimpses of harmony. However, during my most recent rides, things seemed to align perfectly and I had more than just a few moments of harmony with Lucky. During the trot, I had more harmony than I have ever had with any horse, and kept it for more than a few strides at a time. It felt phenomenal. I was effortless posting at the trot and directing Lucky, without having tension and without my leg flying all over the place. Lucky was in front of my left and available to me, ready to do what I asked. <br />
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That is ultimately what my goal is during every ride. I want myself to be in balance, and to be able to help whatever animal I am riding to be in balance, relaxed, and round. When they get to this supple "sweet spot", they are ready to do anything for the rider because they are set up to do so. This is something that I have observed every time Laura lunges or rides. Most clearly and recently, I have observed this when Laura had worked on introducing a mule to dressage. This mule has and a lot of great training, in various disciplines, but he has never been taught to weight his hind end and use his back in the way dressage horses should. Watching him figure out how use his body has been fascinating and educational. When his body position does become correct, he becomes eager to make a transition. It is important to note, however, that it is not about getting him in a frame. It's about him using his hind end and his back and becoming supple and free in his body.<br />
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Her walk was also probably the best walk I have ever had on her. She took long strides, and her back and hips were free and swinging. She did not become "stuck" behind my leg. The fact that Laura and ridden first had helped that. <br />
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I did have some difficulties in the canter, however. I became a bit twisted, and she did not canter right when I asked. However, instead of forcing the issue, I calmly regained a rhythmic, unhurried trot before asking again. It is much better to have a correct transition than a rushed, unbalanced one. I later on got a few nice sets of cantering, and ended the lesson there.Paolahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13169356458758529349noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8020713089783268496.post-65545045286580539582016-03-15T10:24:00.004-07:002016-03-28T14:39:05.975-07:00Loss of PrancerYesterday was the most difficult day of my life. The Rhodesian Ridgeback that my family has had for many years has passed away.<br />
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To me she was more than just a dog. She was a person, with many quirks, and was a treasured member of my family. Prancer was a loving, cuddly dog. In spite of her size, she believed that she was a lapdog and would always climb unto the couch to cuddle and to give hugs. Like a cat, she would rub her face against people that she loved. She was friendly with strangers and always wanted to jump up and say hello. <br />
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She was a real drama queen and attention hound. When she wasn't in the center of attention, or when she wanted something, she would whine. She had a different whine for different situations. She also seemed to understand so much of English, and would understand when we were talking about food, or going on a journey in the car. Both were things that she loved so much. She also and a strange love of chips, sweet breads, and crunchy, salty foods.<br />
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She was truly as unique and as loved as any person. I have never lost anyone as close to me as she was; I've never cried so much. My home and my heart seems so empty without. It will difficult to come home everyday, expecting her to come greet my family at the door only to find the place empty, or to wake up in the morning and hoping that she will be on her bed. Sometimes I hear a sound that reminds me of her, and my throughout constricts as tears come to my eyes. You'll be missed, precious Prancer. I hope you are happy, and that your spirit is playing up there in animal heaven.Paolahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13169356458758529349noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8020713089783268496.post-56203675161195489122016-03-01T15:58:00.002-08:002016-03-01T15:58:58.418-08:00Moving Up the ScaleThis past year, I have mostly been working on asking Lucky to stretch down and lift her back hone riding and lunging her. In my most recent ride, I took this a step further and began asking for her to truly be "on the bit." This is something i have read about many times before, but it can be difficult to do correctly. However, Lucky is a great horse to learn this on because she would only become truly round if I am balanced and my aids are exactly correct. Once there, she typically stays there.<br />
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My learning started on the ground in the round pen. Laura worked Lucky for a while in just a halter and lunge line to demonstrate, and then gave me a try. I worked Lucky on a small circle, keeping a short and consistent feel on the lunge line. I kept me hands steady in front of me with my elbows at my side, just like when riding. The object was for me to keep this feel, neither giving or taking as Lucky went along. If she were to get heavy in my hands, I would cluck her along so that she would she would be pushed onto the "bit"(the lunge line attached to her halter). True roundness comes from the back coming up and the neck rounding and reaching for the contact, but not leaning on it. I also yielded her to help her to reach for the contact.<br />
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Once I got a feel for it, I rode in the dressage tack and used stirrups for the first time since November. An entire winter of riding without stirrups has done wonders for my leg. Most of the time, my leg was soft and relaxed, and I didn't grip with my knees or cause my legs to slip all over the place during the trot. Even my canter leg position was improved, all though my inside did creep up a bit during some of the cantering as it always has.<br />
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Throughout the ride, I worked on rhythm and relaxation as I always do. However, I finally added the element of connection. I had to remember to keep my leg on as I shortened the reins, but since Laura had schooled Lucky for a few minutes before I rode, I had less trouble than usual keeping Lucky in front of my leg. I also rode with a crop, which provided assistance in stopping Lucky from leaning on her inside shoulder.<br />
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As I rode, I applied the same principles as on the ground. I kept a consistent feel as my elbows remained at my side, encouraged Lucky to be more forward if she leaned on the bit, and yielded her onto the outside rein as I asked for her to come on the bit. There were times during the ride when I felt her come on the bit fro several strides at a time. I did, however, have difficulty for a while even when it seemed like I had been doing everything correctly. It turns out that I have been relying on my hands much more than I have realized, so I walked and trotted on a long rein for while so that I would use my legs and seat to turn rather than my hands. <br />
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Finally, I ended by cantering. It was necessary for me to assist Lucky in remaining straight and not leaning on her inside shoulder during the canter, which is usually the case with Lucky. This caused my inside leg to creep up, a problem I have had in the past when I previously rode with stirrups. I then decided to use the crop to lightly tap her inside shoulder when necessary. This stopped my inside leg from working too and becoming tight. In the end, I and some nice canters.<br />
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I'm really pleased with what riding without stirrups has done for my leg. I'll probably continue to ride without them, but this ride has been a great way to assess my progress. Laura is putting on a mule show in the spring, and is offering an all breeds dressage class. I hope to be ready by then to ride in my first dressage class. Even if my ability to get Lucky on the bit is not completely consistent by then, it will be a great class to enter since it will be a both convenient and fun schooling event. I know that I ride accurate geometry and keep Lucky in a consistent rhythm if I work at it and focus, so I can make up for lack of on the bit consistency with that.That isn't to say that I won't work hard at getting Lucky on the bit, because I will. I just mean that I know I can be ready if I work at it.<br />
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Oh, and I started a <a href="http://swedishamericanadventures.tumblr.com/" target="_blank">Swedish study blog</a>(which will alter have Swedish recipes, traditions, and stories about me adjusting to life in Sweden) for those interested.<br />
<br />Paolahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13169356458758529349noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8020713089783268496.post-32227877703093389042016-02-13T12:48:00.003-08:002016-02-13T12:48:31.897-08:00Fancy Dressage HorseI had an amazing ride earlier this, but didn't write about it until now. Before riding, I spent a lot of time grooming and braiding Lucky to get her looking fancy, and even put the dressage saddle and bridle on her. Laura felt that riding in a dressage saddle with knee blocks could help put my leg in the correct position. As I have been doing since November, I rode without stirrups for a full lesson. During the trot, I would alternate between the sitting and rising trot. <br />
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I started out by working on Lucky's rhythm at the walk. It is my responsibility as the rider to set the rhythm, and it all beings at the walk. There was a corner of the arena that had a puddle in it, so I had to be prepared to give her extra support to keep her going, for she wanted to slow down at the puddle. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iTwKnAyOXfg/Vr-Vm-61IWI/AAAAAAAABNM/KKmrqNH6sps/s1600/luckyfebuary2016.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iTwKnAyOXfg/Vr-Vm-61IWI/AAAAAAAABNM/KKmrqNH6sps/s320/luckyfebuary2016.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Someone is looking fancy(it's not me).</td></tr>
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Most of the lesson, I worked in a clover leaf pattern. There were four cones set up with two parallel poles set in the middle, and I had circle the cones and go over or between the poles, depending on which direction I was going, of course. I began at the walk. At first, I did not go directly over the center of the poles. When I remembered to look at the center of poles only until Lucky was lined up, and then look ahead, I was more successful. <br />
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Also, per usual, Lucky had the most difficultly going right and often cut the circle in. This did not set me up for making a straight line on the poles. However, when I applied inside leg, lifted my inside hand, and looked directly where I wanted her to go, Lucky made a big, wide circle and hit the pole in the dead center. This exercise requires a great deal of patience. There is so much to think about because it requires a coordination of every single aid. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jp6nNUlaKfE/Vr-WAPfz7rI/AAAAAAAABNQ/Pg_xbqZSL4Y/s1600/luckyfebruary2016-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jp6nNUlaKfE/Vr-WAPfz7rI/AAAAAAAABNQ/Pg_xbqZSL4Y/s320/luckyfebruary2016-2.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">She is beginning to be in the right place for trotting here.</td></tr>
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I took break from the exercise for a while to trot along the rail. I did not just fro right off whenever I wanted to. Before making a transition, I made sure that Lucky was in front of my leg by asking her to walk more quickly. Only once she was paying attention did I ask her to trot. Some of the trots she did that day were simply amazing. I could feel her stretching down and using her back, bounding as she trotted. During the sitting trot a few times, I even felt like I was really with her. I was not just sitting on her back trying to balance. I felt like my hips were moving and melting with the motion of her back. It was amazing.<br />
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I then did the clover leaf pattern at the trot, alternating between trotting and walking as I rode the exercise. Sometimes, I only trotted for the straight line between the cones, walked a circle, then trotted again. Other times I trotted around circle and then walked, or trotted for a a bit longer. Laura was constantly changing it up. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7XbfBV5K03Y/Vr-WNdqZYNI/AAAAAAAABNU/UrRDOryEm_o/s1600/luckfebruary2016-3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7XbfBV5K03Y/Vr-WNdqZYNI/AAAAAAAABNU/UrRDOryEm_o/s320/luckfebruary2016-3.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My position is awful her, but look at roundness and stretching.</td></tr>
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To finish a great lesson, I worked on cantering. I started to the left, because Lucky trots best that direction. Like when I began trotting, I started by making sure that Lucky was in front of my leg. I trotted for a few strides, then walked, then trotted again, working several transitions before finally asking for the canter. Lucky bounded right off. I cantered for a few strides to begin with, but the next time, I cantered an entire lap. That day, I cantered the best I have ever cantered, which is why Laura let me canter so long. I was really with her as she cantered. It was an incredible feeling. Then, I cantered to the right with the same success. To finish off, I went for a trail ride in the empty pasture.<br />
<br />Paolahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13169356458758529349noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8020713089783268496.post-62450534448146894572016-01-28T16:40:00.002-08:002016-01-28T16:40:45.368-08:00Braiding Practice!These last two times at the barn, after doing my usual chores of feeding and grooming, I began learning how to braid. I have wanted braid for a while now, and since I got a wonderful braiding kit a couple of weeks ago, I decided to watch a few videos and practice. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-kw1uHirkl1U/Vqq0mZco-LI/AAAAAAAABMY/WdR8kYZYHno/s1600/IMG_20160121_112954.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-kw1uHirkl1U/Vqq0mZco-LI/AAAAAAAABMY/WdR8kYZYHno/s320/IMG_20160121_112954.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The amen after being pulled. Trust me, it was much longer before.</td></tr>
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The first day I worked on braiding Lucky. Lucky's mane was extremely long, wild, and unruly: it went almost all the way done her neck in some places. Before braiding her, I pulled her mane, but did not shorten it nearly enough, I soon found. Even though it is much shorter, it is still quite long. when I braided it, the braids ended up out being about an inch long instead of the desired bauble. Nevertheless, they turned out better than I expected.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9Bk-xKvEH90/Vqq0pg0NbeI/AAAAAAAABMc/QTRG_VBIFVs/s1600/IMG_20160121_131549.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9Bk-xKvEH90/Vqq0pg0NbeI/AAAAAAAABMc/QTRG_VBIFVs/s320/IMG_20160121_131549.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Round one of braiding </td></tr>
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The second time I worked on Moxie, the big black dressage mule. His mane is the perfect length for braiding. My braids were much rounder this time around, although they could have been just a bit tighter. I'm pleased with how they turned out.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8lkZDaDFCsg/Vqq0ppTBdEI/AAAAAAAABMg/FBF1U9TBqTU/s1600/IMG_20160121_140957.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8lkZDaDFCsg/Vqq0ppTBdEI/AAAAAAAABMg/FBF1U9TBqTU/s320/IMG_20160121_140957.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Princess Lucky poses to show off her braids.</td></tr>
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I also went for a quick ride on Lucky. Like I had done when I first started riding with Laura, I rode a pole exercises in which I made a figure eight with the pole at the center. My accuracy had improved since the last time I did this exercises. I was able to keep Lucky in between my legs, ride her to the exact center of the pole, and turn her using my legs. Furthermore, my upward transitions were succinct and smooth. Before making them, I asked Lucky to be round to prepare her for a smooth transition.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-w3pSCmaBg88/Vqq0rHozbBI/AAAAAAAABMk/gjadGzPQgaI/s1600/IMG_20160126_130400.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-w3pSCmaBg88/Vqq0rHozbBI/AAAAAAAABMk/gjadGzPQgaI/s320/IMG_20160126_130400.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Round two is much improved.</td></tr>
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Finally, I cantered on Lucky for a few minutes. My canter transitions come much more readily now than they did in the past, because have fill confidence that they will happen, and that they will go smoothly. Unfortunately, I have been falling forward when Lucky stops. I really need to remember to keep my legs on, especially when riding without stirrups, so I can prevent this from happening. <br />
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<br />Paolahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13169356458758529349noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8020713089783268496.post-20329577713468276042016-01-20T14:46:00.002-08:002016-01-20T14:46:58.456-08:00Big Changes I've been busy and have had a lot of changes in my life. Most importantly, I will be moving to Stockholm, Sweden in the June–back to the country where my mom is from. For a while, my parents have wanted to move back to Sweden, and now it will actually happen. I will be much closer to my grandmother and my uncle. Also, there will be many opportunities. High schools there are more like junior colleges or trade schools, and there are several horse high schools where one can get a certificate in horse care. As someone who wants to work with horses, this will be a great and exciting opportunity. I will miss the friends that I have here, but I'm looking forward to this new adventure.<br />
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I have finished the first week of 30 Day Horse Rider Workout that I mentioned earlier. Mostly, it has included squats, crunches, and other basic exercise, increasing the repetitions as the week progressed. Week two will include jogging. Physical fitness is challenging, but it has been satisfying to feel the soreness in muscles every evening.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-a1rgvhulbdc/VqANY-KmNYI/AAAAAAAABMA/yPF5G44_vQM/s1600/dc2bcbf75bcadd6458ac4d2316371a79.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-a1rgvhulbdc/VqANY-KmNYI/AAAAAAAABMA/yPF5G44_vQM/s320/dc2bcbf75bcadd6458ac4d2316371a79.jpg" width="293" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">What Dean said, ha ha. I'm still motivated though.</td></tr>
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Anyways, this is just a short little update. Hopefully next week I can get back in the swing of things!Paolahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13169356458758529349noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8020713089783268496.post-40827228941303595762016-01-08T16:44:00.001-08:002016-01-08T16:44:18.514-08:0030 Day Rider Fitness ChallengeThis year, I have decided that I really want to work on my physical fitness. Particularly, I want to increase my core strength, as my arms have stayed strong through all the work at I have done at the barn. My plan has been to go running and to work on crunches, squats, push-ups, and other exercise that I have found in a Workout called the 7 Minute Workout(look it up). While browsing the internet, however, I found another exercise program that I want to try out.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_V0ZicOniKU/VpBXtKc4kdI/AAAAAAAABLs/HEWDl0XwMRY/s1600/4bea97baaa830628e0e4f6cdd952296a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_V0ZicOniKU/VpBXtKc4kdI/AAAAAAAABLs/HEWDl0XwMRY/s640/4bea97baaa830628e0e4f6cdd952296a.jpg" width="428" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://stridesforsuccess.com/30-day-rider-fitness-challenge/">http://stridesforsuccess.com/30-day-rider-fitness-challenge/</a></td></tr>
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It is called the <a href="http://www.30dayriderfitnesschallenge.com/" target="_blank">30 Day Rider Fitness Challenge</a>, and as the name suggests, is geared towards riders. However, a horse is not necessary for the challenge, so I will not have to be at the barn every day. The workouts target muscles groups necessary for stability and balance in the saddle. The goal of the challenge is to work on strengthening those muscle groups so the time spent in the saddle can be focused on working on the rider's technique, rather than simply trying to stay balanced. No-stirrup work has certainly helped me with this, but I noticed that I lost my balance a few times during the canter. I need to improve my core strength to help hold me in position.<br />
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The Challenge has many different kinds of exercises done each day, and it is recommended that they are down at least six days a week. I plan to utilize this Challenge and give it a try. Once a week, I'll post an update on how my Challenge is going, so if I do not get time in the saddle because of the weather, I'll at least have something to write about. I'll plan on starting after the weekend.Paolahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13169356458758529349noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8020713089783268496.post-25084733127284265172016-01-05T16:47:00.002-08:002016-01-05T16:59:24.219-08:00Canter RevelationsMonday, I kicked off the New Year with a a great first ride of the year. I rode Lucky stirrup-less in a group listen with one other women, Loni. This was the first time riding without stirrups outside of the round pen; I now had complete control over Lucky. Additionally, it was the longest I had spent riding without stirrups(if you don't count a couple bareback rides in 2014). I lunged Lucky for a few minutes before to let her buck and expend a little energy. She actually stretched and came round for most of the time, which was unusual for her and very satisfying.<br />
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During the lesson, Laura taught about controlling the horse's rhythm. As riders, it is our responsibility to set the rhythm we want at all gaits, rather than letting the horse meander or rush off at the pace they desire. Loni and I started by asking for different lengths of walk: collected, medium, extended. The goal was to do as little as possible, and to ideally ask for the change of pace with just a change in our hips or a light touch of the calf. Though Lucky was fresh and fairly forward, she prefers to move in a short, slow walk. Every time I ride her, I usually have to remind her to pick up the pace often throughout the ride. Furthermore, with her there is a fine line between an lengthened walk and a trot. I had to experiment with varying degrees of pressure. For a while, I worked in the walk, shifting from collected, medium, and lengthened "gears." <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vd0XTJi8jx4/Voxelrs8MAI/AAAAAAAABJ0/-USm7sqA1RE/s1600/12410548_1628579477381643_4303971826243574477_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vd0XTJi8jx4/Voxelrs8MAI/AAAAAAAABJ0/-USm7sqA1RE/s400/12410548_1628579477381643_4303971826243574477_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My first between-the-ears shot!</td></tr>
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I then did the same in the posting trot. My thighs burned after a while, but I feel much stronger than I was in November, and I could hold the posting trot for much longer without getting tired than I could before.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-nWjiKQTSB6s/VoxenvF_0cI/AAAAAAAABJ8/JU7ASx0nbBw/s1600/IMG_20160104_102223.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-nWjiKQTSB6s/VoxenvF_0cI/AAAAAAAABJ8/JU7ASx0nbBw/s400/IMG_20160104_102223.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My position has improved so much since last year! Look at my leg!</td></tr>
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The most successful part, however, was the canter. As I stated on my blog a while ago, I've been having difficulties riding with the motion of the canter. However, when reading an article about the sitting trot recently, I had a revelation. The article said to move your hips with the motion of the horse's hips. Previously, I had thought that I had to move my hips forward when the horse tipped forward. Upon reading this article, I realized that I had had it all wrong. My hips had to move with the horse's. Therefore, when the horses pelvis tucked under, I and to allow my pelvis to tuck under. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6xJSgYzgLEM/VoxgLAIXPCI/AAAAAAAABKI/8c2kfoH31dM/s1600/comparison.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6xJSgYzgLEM/VoxgLAIXPCI/AAAAAAAABKI/8c2kfoH31dM/s640/comparison.jpg" width="368" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Let's critique my position in these two pictures from May 2015 and January 2016, respectively. I realize that they are in different gaits and that Lucky is facing different directions, and I appear to be on a bending line in the first, but I think that they really illustrate the improvement of my position. In the first, my leg has crept up and is tight, there is a sway in my back(maybe it's just the angle that makes it look deep, but I still think it is due to a fault in my position), my wrists are not straight, and my hands are all over the place(it looks like I'm steering with my hands). In the second, my leg is supple and relaxed(but not floppy), my ankle is stretched down, and my hands are together. It appears as if I am leaning back ever so slightly(or maybe it's just me), but I otherwise think my position is close to correct. I'm open to any thoughts and suggestions from readers as well! Respectful and constructive critiquing from my readers is always welcome!</td></tr>
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Armed with this new piece of information, I felt ready to canter without stirrups. Loni cantered in front of me to help me to asked Lucky to canter. At first, I overthought things, and became tense like usual. Then I got a few strides, but accidentally forgot to steer. However, that sort success gave me the confidence and belief I needed to canter. On my own, I asked for the canter, fully believing that it would happen, and Lucky bounded into canter. Previously, I had expected cantering without stirrups to be more difficult than cantering with stirrups. Though I didn't give it much thought during the ride, I and imagine before that I would have to grab mane to balance myself. I could not have been more wrong. In fact, I found cantering without stirrups much easier than cantering without them. The absence of stirrups seemed to place my legs in just the right position, and my hips swayed with the motion of the canter. It was probably the nicest cantering! I was able to go around the entire arena without straying from the path. <br />
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I did have a few slip-ups where I lost my balance, causing her to fall out of canter, but those did not mar the success of the canter. One time, I believe I took my leg off. Since I didn't have stirrups to hold me, I fell onto her neck when she stopped, and decided to let myself slip off and land on my feet. It wasn't falling off–she was at a complete stand still, and I voluntarily disembarked rather than trying to scramble up her neck. I led her to the mounting block, remounted, and cantered one last time. This time, I cantered once around the ring then asked her to stop.<br />
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Afterward, I rode her around in the walk for at least 20 more minutes before putting her away. It will be raining for the rest of the week, so I'm happy I had this one great ride this week. I cannot wait to canter again. The thrill of cantering correctly can become addicting!Paolahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13169356458758529349noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8020713089783268496.post-71489263722239752302016-01-02T12:54:00.000-08:002016-01-02T19:10:43.961-08:00Welcome, 2016!Happy New Year everyone! I hope you all had a fabulous holiday season; I had a great one and spent a lot of time playing board games with my brothers. Now that the holidays are over and a new year has begun, my brief hiatus from riding and blogging should be over, so I can start getting back on track. Last year brought so many changes and new experiences, and I hope 2016 does as well!<br />
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In January of 2015, I was offered a working student position Laura Hermanson, a professional dressage rider who specializes in riding and training mules. She is the first person to ever ride a mule in the US Dressage Finals, which she did in 2014. Before riding with her, I didn't know much about mules at all.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-97eVWU_bwfM/Vog2hxOQ1cI/AAAAAAAABIg/QAUUVPcxIpY/s1600/paola%2526moxie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-97eVWU_bwfM/Vog2hxOQ1cI/AAAAAAAABIg/QAUUVPcxIpY/s320/paola%2526moxie.jpg" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Myself and one of Laura's mules, Moxie.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<br />
I also didn't know much about riding and training. At the beginning of last year, I was still very much a beginner. I was still piecing together the most basic elements of riding, and my riding and handling style were uncoordinated. I'm still not completely fluid in my aids, but training with Laura has opened a completely new dimension to riding: communication and training. With her, I learned how to better communicate and build a relationship with a horse, and how to better understand the nuances of a horse's behavior. I learned that horses are aware of the subtle, almost imperceptible changes in our bodies and energy, and was taught how to channel that energy and how to move my body in ways that influence the horses. Furthermore, I learned how to teach and train a horse. Before this year, I was a rider who would simply hop on and go. This year, I learned how to work with a horse on the ground to teach them and to set them up for success under saddle. By lungeing a horse before riding, one can watch how the horse moves and ask them to become round. Then, when I finally mounted, the horse would already be warmed up and would have already stretched and become round.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">May 2015–I'll get another to compare later on!</td></tr>
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In addition to learning so much, I have also experienced many new things. In March, <a href="http://paolashorseblog.blogspot.com/2015/04/i-rode-donkey.html" target="_blank">I rode a donkey</a> named Buddy, which was an interesting experience. Donkeys are kind, gentle creatures, but they also do not like to work harder than necessary, so many do not go faster than a jog.<br />
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In April, I rode a mule in a <a href="http://paolashorseblog.blogspot.com/2015/04/western-clinic-part-i.html" target="_blank">western trail clinic</a><a href="http://paolashorseblog.blogspot.com/2015/04/western-clinic-part-2.html" target="_blank">(part 2</a>). Before then, I had only ridden western a handful of times, and riding a mule was a completely new experience. I learned so much in that clinic. I continued riding western over the summer.<br />
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Finally, in October I rode a mule named Ruby in western pleasure and trail at my <a href="http://paolashorseblog.blogspot.com/2015/10/golden-state-mule-show-my-first-show.html" target="_blank">first show</a>. By then, my aids were a bit more refined, and I had learned to move a horse more with my legs and less with my hands. The show was an extraordinary experience.<br />
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This year, I hope to continue refining and honing my skills. In the spring, I want to ride in a few hunter classes at another mule show, so I'll be working on no-stirrup work to gain a more solid position. I hope this new year brings many more experiences and successes for myself and all my readers!<br />
<br />Paolahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13169356458758529349noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8020713089783268496.post-29518872682705445892015-12-01T16:28:00.003-08:002016-01-02T19:10:36.706-08:00The Great Blanket Debate<br />
<br />
<div class="western">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">Should I
blanket my horse, or should I leave him without a blanket? This is
an ongoing debate that has plagued the horse community for years.
Blanketing is common practice that is seen by many as a necessity.
If the owner is cold, they give their horse an extra layer so he can
keep warm. However, what many people do not realize is that in most
cases, blanketing is unnecessary, and in some cases detrimental.
Except for extreme conditions, such as old age, illness, heavy winds,
or when a horse has been body clipped, horses should not be
blanketed.</span></div>
<div class="western">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="western">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">Horses are
incredibly adaptive creatures: they can live in the arid deserts like
that of Arabia, in the bitter cold, or just about any climate that
man has inhabited and brought horses. For centuries before
domestication, wild horses have been able to adapt to the climates
where they lived, and have never required the pampering that many
horse owners give their horses today. Feral horses of today are also
well enough adapted that they can stay warm enough in the winter,
providing they have enough food and a windbreak. Domesticated horses
are no different. They have many ways of regulating their body
temperature. The horse's digestive system produces heat as it digests
fibers found it hay and other feeds, and the horse's fat, skin, and
thick winter coat act as insulators, trapping the heat in to keep the
horse sufficiently warm. In a process called piloerection, the
horse's hair raises and lowers, depending on the temperature and wind
speed. This regulates the amount of heat that is trapped in.
Because of this, horses do not need blankets to help keep them warm. </span>
</div>
<div class="western">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="western">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">Changes in the
coat occur automatically, and much more quickly than it would take
for someone to remove or replace a blanket. Because of this, a
blanketed horse can begin to overheat by the time the blanket is
removed when the daytime temperatures become warm. Furthermore,
blanketing actually interferes with the process thermoregulation. As
the horse tries to warm the exposed body parts, the blanketed parts
sweat and overheat. “Sweating under a blanket is more of a problem
metabolically to the horse than people realize”(Natalija). When
blanketed or stabled for extended periods of time, the metabolic
functions that control body temperature are not used–they do not
need to be. As a result, if the horse is exposed to cold temperature
after that, these function do not work as effectively. Consequently,
the horse will be unable to heat themselves and will be too cold.
Overheating or being too cold can cause a host of problems for the
horse, so it best that he keeps his body heat at comfortable
temperature.</span></div>
<div class="western">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="western">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">As most horse
owners know, blankets, like all horse equipment, are expensive.
Depending on where you live, you may even have to buy multiple
blankets to used during large changes in temperature, because once a
horse is blanketed regularly, they do not have a winter coat to keep
them warm. They may require a thick, heavy blanket when it is icy,
rainy, and windy, but only a medium-weight blanket in more moderate
temperatures. Furthermore, one must consider the cost of replacing
broken blankets. Some horses, especially younger ones, are
destructive with their blankets. Even blankets not used by horses
who intentionally destroy blankets can break as a result of the rough
treatment it gets from horses rolling and playing. If the horse is
left uncovered however, you will probably only need to buy a light
blanket for the coldest, wettest, and windiest days. As a result,
you will save money because you will not need to spend as much money
on blankets as you would if you blanketed your horse regularly. </span>
</div>
<div class="western">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="western">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">Since horses
can regulate their body temperature so well, even if temperatures
that people find chilling and uncomfortable to be in, they do not
need to be blanketed, as long as they are healthy, have enough food,
have a windbreak, and are unclipped. Keeping the horses uncovered in
the winter may also save the you money because you will not need to
purchase blankets for your horses. For these reasons, blanketing is
unnatural and unnecessary, unless the horse in unhealthy, clipped, or
unadjusted to the climate, or if the weather is particularly
inhospitable.</span></div>
<div class="western">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="western">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">Bibliography</span></div>
<div class="western">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #262a10;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">Aleksandrova,
Natalija. “No More Blankets–An Amazing Article.” <u>The Soul of
a Horse.</u></span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #262a10;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">2015.
1 Dec. 2015.<a href="https://www.blogger.com/goog_1586314245">
</a></span></span><span style="color: #262a10;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><a href="http://thesoulofahorse.com/blog/no-more-blankets-an-amazing-article/">http://thesoulofahorse.com/blog/no-more-blankets-an-amazing-article/</a></span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #262a10;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">Krahl,
Stephanie. To Blanket Your Horse or Not to Blanket...That Is the
Question. </span></span><span style="color: #262a10;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><u>The
Soulful Equine.</u></span></span><span style="color: #262a10;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">
2015. 1 Dec. 2015.
</span></span><span style="color: #262a10;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><a href="http://www.soulfulequine.com/to-blanket-your-horse-or-not-to-blanket-that-is-the-question/">http://www.soulfulequine.com/to-blanket-your-horse-or-not-to-blanket-that-is-the-question/</a></span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #2b2b2b;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">Williams,
Carey A. Ph.D. and Ralston, Sarah L. VMD, Ph.D. Did You Know: Winter
Care and Feeding. </span></span><span style="color: #2b2b2b;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><u>My
Horse University</u></span></span><span style="color: #2b2b2b;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">.
2012. 1 Dec. 2015.
</span></span><span style="color: #2b2b2b;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.myhorseuniversity.com/resources/eTips/November2011/Didyouknow">http://www.myhorseuniversity.com/resources/eTips/November2011/Didyouknow</a></span></span></span></div>
<div class="western">
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
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Paolahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13169356458758529349noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8020713089783268496.post-63992669694866358282015-11-23T12:13:00.000-08:002015-11-23T12:13:00.097-08:00Who Am I?<a href="http://diyhorseownership.blogspot.com/2015/11/blog-hop-non-equestrian-activities.html?showComment=1448133784545#c6385154269380147241" target="_blank">*Inspired by DIY Horsemanship's Non-Equestrian Activities Blog Hop</a><br />
I've come to the realization that most of my readers do not much about me, except for my horse life and the things they have gathered throughout the voice of my writing, so I decided I want to change that by telling you about myself. I have added to my life story on my <a href="http://paolashorseblog.blogspot.com/p/my-riding.html" target="_blank">about me page</a> if you want to check it out(bear with me, it is long), but I will write a brief summary, and much more about what I am like when not riding, right in this post.<br />
<br />
<h2>
My History</h2>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">I was born in Fairfield, California on April 8<sup>th</sup>, 2000. Throughout my life, my family moved and traveled a lot, so I have many memories of being in airports or train stations. I can never really say that I grew up in any one spot; it is always hard when someone asks where I grew up. My dad is an aerospace engineer, so we were always moving to different places depending on where the work was. Before I was nine, I had never lived in any one place for more than three years. Just when I was born, I lived in Vacaville for six weeks before moving to Hanover, Germany. Vacaville is a small town about one hundred miles from San Francisco. Hanover is located in Lower Saxony in northern Germany, and I lived there for a year. Shortly after my first birthday, I moved to <span style="color: black;">Aschau im Chiemgau, </span>another part of Germany that is near the Austrian border. <span style="color: black;">Aschau im Chiemgau is a beautiful, picturesque Bavarian village surrounded by the Alps. While living there, I played in the snow and went up to the top of the mountains in a mountain lift.</span> A year later, I moved to <span style="color: black;">Vies, </span>France, by the Mediterranean. I stayed there for several months before moving to <span style="color: black;">Torrevieja, Spain, also near the Mediterranean. In December 2002, </span>I moved to Clovis, California, the first place that I remember. Later on, I returned to Europe, living in Sweden, my mom's native country. After Sweden, I moved to Wales. We lived in a town called Tonteg, about fifteen minutes outside Cardiff. Wales was grey and rainy most of the time, but was still fun. I started school there. It was my first and only experience wearing a school uniform. There was a playground down the street that I walked to with my family, and we often visited the nearby town of Cardiff, as well as the Brecon National Forest. We took trips through Wales, as well as going to Bath and London. When in London, I traveled London Underground, or the “Tube” as locals call it. I also crossed the Tower Bridge by foot, saw the Parliament Building and the Big Ben.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br />The summer before starting first grade, when I was six, I returned to the United States. I lived in the small town of Coarsegold, nearby both Yosemite National Park and Clovis, the latter being the city I lived in when I was three. I lived in Coarsegold for three years, the most I had lived in any one place. Shortly after my ninth birthday, I moved to Canyon Lake, Texas, right in the heart of Hill Country. Canyon Lake is not far from San Antonio. My family often visited the historical Alamo, where the famous Alamo battle was fought for the independence of Texas long ago. It's a really amazing historical place. Closer to our home was the Madrone Trail and the Guadalupe River, which we also visited several times. Quite a few times during the summer, my family would take our mountain bikes and ride the trail. My family enjoyed riding our bikes together as my dad is a cyclist. The river was fun to swim in, and many people went river tubing there, although we never did. I also golfed for the first time while living in Texas. My family owned property near a golf course, and my younger brother and I took many lessons on golfing. Two years later, I returned to Coarsegold, where I now live.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br />Besides living in many places, I have also traveled a lot with my family. We visited Klamath Falls, Oregon many times, probably more than any other state, because me grandparents lived there. Sometimes we went there in the winter and played with their Golden Retriever in the snow. In the summer one time, we went fishing with my grandpa, an avid fisher, who taught me how to fish. We never caught anything, but it was fun. Another time we visited Crater Lake, which is not far from my grandparent's home. Crater Lake is a volcanic crater that is filled with clear, pristine water.<br />On another trip, we spent a week on the Big Island of Hawaii, where we swam at the beaches, seeing a variety of ocean life in the water–everything from colorful fish to sea turtles to bottle-nosed dolphins to black crabs. We even went to one beach with sand that was black because of the lava from the volcano on the island. Since most of the beaches had large waves that loomed above us, my younger brother and I were only allowed in the shallow water. While in Hawaii, my family visited the rainforest near the top of the volcano. It did actually rain while we were strolling through the forest. We even went to a real Hawaiian Luau, where the pig was roasted underground, cooked from hot volcanic ground. As is as tradition, we tossed our flower leis into the ocean before leaving. Hawaii was really fun; I loved being there because I got to swim at the beaches and see amazing tropical animal life. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br />Another time, my family went on a rode trip to Nevada, Colorado, Wyoming, and Utah. In Nevada, we stopped in Vegas and saw many amazing sights, including the MGM building and the Egyptian museum. Inside the MGM building, we saw many lions with tawny hides and paws as big as my head. We could even stand underneath the lions, with only a thin sheet of glass stopping the lions from falling on top of us. In the Egyptian museum, which is a giant glass pyramid, we saw King Tut's golden coffin and other artifacts. Colorado was also exciting to visit. We visited a dinosaur museum in Woodland Park, seeing giant dinosaur statues and fossils. In Utah we saw the magnificent Zion National Park and the beautiful Temple Square. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-w6lE--Si0NM/VlDP6XWdkVI/AAAAAAAABH8/x5yQ_dGxLzE/s1600/vegas.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-w6lE--Si0NM/VlDP6XWdkVI/AAAAAAAABH8/x5yQ_dGxLzE/s400/vegas.jpg" width="370" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Las Vegas</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br />Since my family loves road trips we always drive everywhere, so we have gone through the lonely deserts of Arizona and New Mexico when first moving to Texas and when returning to California. When living in Texas, we drove through Arkansas, Tennessee, and Kentucky to reach the college town of Athens, Ohio. Athens is a charming town with lovely brick buildings. It is small enough that my family could walk everywhere we wanted to go, and the people were very friendly. When I was 11, my dad attended a conference at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs. While there my family camped in a tent at a campground, which was really exciting. One night, a bear entered our camp. I didn't notice it because I was asleep, but my older said that bear walked right by his tent, and we noticed the footprints in the morning. Since we moved back to California, my family has traveled to Utah again. This time, we were dropping my older brother, Robin, off at college in Provo, Utah. It was the beginning of January, and there was snow on the ground. One memorable moment of the trip was when were passing Cedar City just after dawn and temperature dropped to -28 degree Fahrenheit. Later, when we picked Robin up from college in the summer, we drove on Highway 6, a desolate desert highway. After passing Las Vegas, we were pretty much in the middle of nowhere until we neared Provo.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<h2>
Things I Love</h2>
<div>
What may not apparent from simply reading my blog posts, I am a huge geek/nerd and proud of it too. Outside of my horses, most of interests are geeky things. They include board gaming, Star Trek, and much more.</div>
<div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Slytherins summed up in one quote.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<h4>
Shows, Books, and Movies</h4>
<div>
One look at my <a href="https://www.pinterest.com/paolapedranti/" target="_blank">Pinterest</a> will show that I am obsessed with a variety of books, movies and TV shows–one may even consider me a fangirl(a girl obsessed with books, movies, shows, and such). My favorite book series ever is Harry Potter; I've read it and seen the movies more times than I can count, and for me, it is a obsession that will never die. I love the story, the magic, the themes, and everything about it. As you probably know, at Hogwarts, there are four Houses: Gryffindor, Slytherin, Ravenclaw, and Hufflepuff. Personally, I see myself as a Slytherin because I am ambitious, competitive, determined, have a disregard for rules, and always have a desire to be the best. Although I do consider myself brave–not much scares me–I do not see myself as a Gryffindor. I don't really have the other Gryffindor traits of nobleness, chivalry, and desire to be hero. I'm not a reckless brave like Gryffindors. I like to think situations through, though sometimes my stubbornness and determination does lead me to do stupid things. The House I think I fit into the second best is Ravenclaw though, because I try to be smart and rational, and I get good grades, but those are not the only Ravenclaw traits, and my Slytherin traits outweigh them. As for Hufflepuff...I don't think I really have any of those traits. </div>
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My two favorite shows are The X-Files and Star Trek Deep Space Nine(though I like all the Treks I have seen). The X-Files is an amazing show about two FBI agents who investigate paranormal activity and a government alien conspiracy. It is a '90s show, but a new mini-season is coming out in January. You probably know what Star Trek is an if you don't, then where have you been all your life? I have seen the Original Series, the Next Generation, and Deep Space, and the latter is my favorite. I really love the characters and the story in that one(though I love all the other Treks I have watched).</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-F33gFzHYNs8/VlDOEhnUZNI/AAAAAAAABHQ/Po6JUdtbRjQ/s1600/gringottsdragon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="278" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-F33gFzHYNs8/VlDOEhnUZNI/AAAAAAAABHQ/Po6JUdtbRjQ/s400/gringottsdragon.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I really love dragons too. This is my artwork.</td></tr>
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There are way too many movies I love to list, so I'll just say that I love movies with excitement and adventure. James Bond, the Matrix, and Planet of the Apes, some Marvel movies, and the Bourne movies are some examples. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wE35TfCVrzw/VlDNzZnZMdI/AAAAAAAABHI/JsQfbQwQuV0/s1600/ds9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="302" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wE35TfCVrzw/VlDNzZnZMdI/AAAAAAAABHI/JsQfbQwQuV0/s400/ds9.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I love making fan art. This is Deep Space Nine</td></tr>
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Board Gaming</h4>
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Board gaming is another thing I really love, though I do not typically play the usually kinds, like Monopoly and such. My favorites are Pandemic, Star Trek: Catan, Star Trek: Deck Building, and the X-Files. They are all really fun games.</div>
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Music</h4>
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I don't play music, but I love to listen. My taste in music is quite interesting for people my age; I love '80s and '90s alternative, mostly. Some of my favorite bands include New Order, Depeche Mode, the Smiths, the Cure, REM, Talking Heads, and OMD. There are also quite a few bands that only like a couple songs by. Some such songs include <u>I'll Melt with You</u>(Modern English), <u>the Funeral</u>(Band of Horses), <u>Iris(</u>Goo Goo Dolls<u>)</u>, <u>Somebody that I Used to Know</u>, some songs by Counting Crows and U2, and other similar songs. </div>
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That's about it. If you any questions about me, please feel free to ask them.</div>
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Paolahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13169356458758529349noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8020713089783268496.post-68970697788969409072015-11-21T11:06:00.000-08:002015-11-21T11:06:30.179-08:00Just Do It! No-Stirrup November continues, and I feel I have been improving a little bit each time I ride. I will likely continue no-stirrup work through December as well, because I hope that it can help me gain a more solid, independent seat, and to post without balancing on my hands or swinging my lower leg. It's interesting how much more evident these problems become when I ride without stirrups. <br />
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I lunged Lucky just before I rode her last, and she was splendid! She went the best I have ever seen her gone. Interestingly enough, she worked much better to the right, which in the past has been her weaker side. Normally, she leans excessively on her inside shoulder went going to the right, and consequently, I have to use a lot of inside leg(or point a dressage whip at her shoulder in this case). This time, however, she did not lean nearly as much, and most importantly, actually began seeking the sweet spot(roundness/stretching) on her own, after I set her up correctly(Laura worked with her before I lunged). She was able to stay round for several circles without me having to constantly correct her by squeezing on the line. It was spectacular. Unfortunately, she did not do as well to the left, which is usually her best side, but these things happen as horses are trained<br />
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After having ridden with no stirrups for several times, I am able to more easily lift myself out of the saddle when posting. However, watching my video from my first no-stirrup ride has made it clear that I have been balancing on my hands while doing this. Because of this, the foci of my ride was not using my hands to lift myself out of the saddle. Instead, I should use my core strength. To help me do this, I ditched my hands entirely, putting them on my hips or stretching them out to the side instead. By doing this, I had no choice but to use my core. However, this aggravated another problem at first: my lower legs swung back instead on staying I place. Again, this is a problem that I am pretty sure I have had before; it just has been made more evident now that I am riding without stirrups. <br />
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During the next trot set, I tried my hardest to keep my legs steady. This time, I succeeded. Afterward, I spent a few moments trying to memorizing exactly how that felt, so I could repeat it. Solid is really the only way I can think of to explain it. It made glancing while posting much easier, and I felt much more steady.<br />
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Next, I held my arms out to me side, like an airplane, as I trotted quite a few circles around the round pen, posting in short intervals. I could feel the burning in my inner thighs as I did this, but wanted to push myself just enough that increased my strength and endurance, but not enough to overdo it and get fatigued. Before long, though, I could even feel my arm strength begin to flag, and was relieved to to them on my hips and walk for a bit. I worked like this for a it, sitting and rising the trot, and walking in intervals. When I was done, I tried a two-point at the halt, because that is what Laura plans for me to work on next: two-point without stirrups. It may be difficult, but it will be infinitely useful. It will not only increase my strength and balance, but will also prepare me for accidents that can happen when riding a jump course. I cannot count the number of times I've seen pictures of jumpers losing or breaking stirrups(or even bridles–yikes) while on a course. At any rate, it will be a great thing to learn.<br />
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To finish, I took a trail ride around the property to cool out.Paolahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13169356458758529349noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8020713089783268496.post-73931895954860651712015-11-06T20:26:00.000-08:002015-11-06T20:26:05.108-08:00No-Stirrup November!I've been riding for two years now, and decided to start the third off by participating in No-Stirrup November for the first time. Although I have ridden stirrup-less at the walk a couple times, and bareback at the trot, this will be my first time riding without stirrups for extended periods of time. Riding western trail has really improved my ability to use my legs for steering; I am much less reliant on my hands than I have been in the past, and I know that I can ride on a loose rein without using it for turning now. Now it is time to solidify my seat. I will do that through riding without stirrups. I am starting slow, but I'm hoping to work up to riding longer and to riding the canter.<br />
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Lungeing</h4>
Since Lucky has been on a mini-hiatus these past couple months and the whether has finally turned cold, and I lunged her before both rides. It's part of my routine anyways, and besides allowing to let Lucky buck her crazies out, it gives me the opportunity to work her and prepare her for being ridden. When I lunged, I worked on flexing her head to the inside, bending her body, keeping her in an even rhythm, and making her become round. With Lucky, getting roundness and bend often takes many repetitive light squeezes because she often looks to the outside. I tried to catch her before she looked to the outside. The lungeing on the second day was more successful than the first. Laura lunged Lucky for a bit before me, showing me how to keep Lucky's head bent to the inside by squeezing the line just before Lucky looked to the outside. She also showed me how to keep Lucky's body bent and how to prevent her from leaning, which she did by pointing the whip at Lucky's girth, using it as an inside leg. Ideally, a horse she be flexed to inside, bend along their ribcage, and round, what Laura calls "the sweet spot." She always waits until this moment before making any transition. After a while she handed the line over to me. Under her guidance, I worked on the same things at the walk, trot, and canter.<br />
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No-Stirrup November</h4>
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The improved seat, increased strength, and yes suffering(no pain, no gain, right?) of No-Stirrup November begins for me. The first day, I only rode for twenty minutes or so. Laura lunged me so I could focus on my position as I rode, although I did work on spiraling the circle in and out, so I did control Lucky in some respects. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The stirrups come off for the month! No turning back now. ;)</td></tr>
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The walk was not too taxing, though I could still feel my thigh muscles working. It was the trot that was the real killer. Although I was riding without stirrups, Laura wanted me to rise at the trot rather than sit, which proved quite strenuous to say the least. My lower leg swing and I could barely rise out of the saddle. What Laura was discovered is that I have been bracing against the stirrups and using them to rise out of the saddle, rather than supporting myself with my calves and only moving my knee and thigh to post. My legs are also often far behind me, but that is something I've known for a while. More no-stirrup work should fix both of those things! My thighs were like jello afterward; it is strenuous work.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-GekVMo_fp5o/Vj179mq4VzI/AAAAAAAABGU/0rXGwB9YBjw/s1600/IMG_20151106_143551.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-GekVMo_fp5o/Vj179mq4VzI/AAAAAAAABGU/0rXGwB9YBjw/s400/IMG_20151106_143551.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/100006888195135/videos/1611249752447949/" target="_blank">Click here for video</a>. I'll have a comparison video next month.</td></tr>
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I would say that I did better the second day. Again, I was lunged and focused on getting my position correct: my legs at the girth, my elbows at a 90 degree angle, my upper body straight, and my inside shoulder bent slightly back. I was successful at the walk. However, it was more difficult at the trot. During the trot, I sat for a circle before posting, and posted in short burst of a few strides at a time. When I did this, I felt I bit more solid, but my hands, which held the reins with no contact, were not as still as they should be. Still, I worked on it and did quite of bit of trotting, but only for several times around the round pen at time, as I did not want to get fatigued. </div>
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Afterward, I rode around the ranch on my own for several minutes, trying my best to not use my hands to turn Lucky. I was able to turn Lucky in the trail and on twenty meter circles with just my legs! </div>
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The no-stirrup work will continue throughout November, and maybe even through December. I'm hoping that I can try cantering without stirrups by the end of the month; I'm sure the work will greatly improve my canter. That's the goal anyways! It will be tough, but it will be worth it! Is any one else doing No-Stirrup November? </div>
Paolahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13169356458758529349noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8020713089783268496.post-15166544290377104052015-10-20T20:33:00.001-07:002015-10-20T20:33:20.422-07:00Golden State Mule Show, my First Show!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
My first show ever, at the Sugarland Horse Park in Woodland, was an absolutely phenomenal! I had a great experience and successfully showcased all my skills, everything I have been working on this past year, and my love of riding, which was exactly what Laura and I desired that I should do. Although I was the only person riding in the walk/jog class, and there were no other youth in my classes, it was still an amazing experience, and Laura thinks that I rode well.</div>
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Saturday: Western Pleasure Walk/Jog</h4>
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My first class, the 16th of the day, wasn't until late Saturday morning, and I only had one class a day, so I didn't have a stressful show weekend. Before my class, I watched the cutting and cow working, which I really enjoyed. There were several champion cutting mules there that have done well against horses, just like Laura's mules do well against horses in dressage. Dyna's half brother was even competing there. Ruby's owner, Casie, rode Ruby as cutback, someone who diverts the cow back to the person competing if the cow gets too far away, in the cutting classes to warm her up for me. Shortly after the cutting began, my parents arrived, and not long after that, it was time to get Ruby ready for my class. I tacked her up in the saddle I would be using, got dressed in jeans, a show shirt, my helmet, and a western belt buckle, the mounted and waited near the gate for my class to begin. Laura and I discussed what I would do, and I watched the Bridled, Green, Amateur, and Donkey pleasure classes. The time ticked closer to the moment I would enter a show ring for the first time, and though I wasn't extremely nervous, I was a bit tense. <br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1-d_2dVo7g0/VicBhhZh4qI/AAAAAAAABFI/_w3hjWc1TCw/s1600/11217174_1606177599621831_8898467265432817219_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1-d_2dVo7g0/VicBhhZh4qI/AAAAAAAABFI/_w3hjWc1TCw/s400/11217174_1606177599621831_8898467265432817219_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I was so tense and concentrated so hard that I forgot to smile until near the end.</td></tr>
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Finally, it was time for me to enter the ring. I squeezed Ruby into the jog and began tracking to the left in the arena. She started out a bit fast, but after passing the gate or the first time, we both relaxed more. After I had jogged around twice, the announcer asked for the walk. I sat deeply in the saddle and complied, making a smooth downward transition. Before long, I was asked to reverse, which was easily done, then jog around once more before halting and backing several steps. She nearly broke gait after reversing and jogging, but I kept her going. Finally, I lined up before the judge. Everyone was happy with how I had done!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My first blue!</td></tr>
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The show ran late that night, until well after dark. I enjoyed watching the other cow working classes, some of which were like a combination of cow working and trail. While I don't remember what that was called, it looked like a lot of fun. The last class was the cow sorting, also an exciting class.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Gu_R7KI2c0Q/VicEbeH2ROI/AAAAAAAABFo/28RsxCiuEOE/s1600/10953385_1606113436294914_2107561055738968649_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Gu_R7KI2c0Q/VicEbeH2ROI/AAAAAAAABFo/28RsxCiuEOE/s320/10953385_1606113436294914_2107561055738968649_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A picture of the cutting!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">There was an eerie, spooky, dilapidated old building on the property; it looks like it has been there well over 100 years. Just in time for Halloween! I love spoo</td></tr>
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Sunday: Trail Walk/Jog</h4>
My trail class was later in the day than my pleasure class had been; it was in early afternoon. In the morning, I watched the English classes, which consisted of pleasure and hunter hack. Hunter hack is a class I would like to try in the future, and I plan on preparing to do it this coming spring. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-V3mw3Pcgc3M/Vib7CkWPpXI/AAAAAAAABEY/psxa8plyKIE/s1600/trail2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="221" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-V3mw3Pcgc3M/Vib7CkWPpXI/AAAAAAAABEY/psxa8plyKIE/s400/trail2.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bridge</td></tr>
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Before the English classes had finished, I began getting Ruby ready and warmed her up over several poles and on several circles. I also practiced a side pass over a turn, then rode over to the arena where the trail classes would be held. I had gotten the map that morning, and Laura and I wanted to walk the course together to discuss what my plan should be. Casie and her son joined us.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mEu5Kg5jYlo/Vib628xNq6I/AAAAAAAABEA/1Xe_5E2eNPI/s1600/trail1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mEu5Kg5jYlo/Vib628xNq6I/AAAAAAAABEA/1Xe_5E2eNPI/s320/trail1.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Side passing</td></tr>
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It wasn't a very difficult course. It started with a jog circle to the right over three poles, and then a straight line to two narrow coins that marked a figure eight. In between these two obstacles was a halt, and the figure eight was started to the right of the first cone. After the figure eight, I had to walk to a bridge and then over to a side pass pole. Then, I side passed to the left pushing her haunches around the turn and over the next pole, stopping nearby a bowl of candy on top of a barrel. To complete the course, I had to grab a candy from the bucket and show it to the judge(no complaining there; free candy=a happy me). I had practiced everything on the course except for the bridge, but I believed that the bridge would be very simple. Laura and I discussed my plan, pointing out the places I should add more leg, the places I should make the transitions, and the tracks I should take to the obstacles, and I visualized how I would ride the course. I felt extremely confident, much more so than in the pleasure.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-mgq5Ilvb1Tc/Vib65sDXbyI/AAAAAAAABEI/Fv4GS155eBc/s1600/ruby2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-mgq5Ilvb1Tc/Vib65sDXbyI/AAAAAAAABEI/Fv4GS155eBc/s320/ruby2.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Right after my class!</td></tr>
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When I finally entered the ring, I rode the course exactly as I had planned. I made a wide, even circle over the poles, going over them at the same point each time around and keeping a steady rhythm. Ruby didn't slow down going over them at all, nor did she bump any of them. She halted from my seat when I asked her to, and made a wide figure eight around the cones, not cutting in at all. After the figure eight, she walked when I asked and stretched while going over the bridge. Finally, I was able to side pass nicely over the two poles, pushing her haunches over the turn to the second pole. When I exited the ring, I was ecstatic! It had felt incredible, as if I hardly had to do anything to get Ruby to do what I wanted; we were in perfect harmony. From the moment I entered the ring, I couldn't keep the grin off my face, and the euphoria lasted for hours afterward. I was on top of the world! <br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-b_liWmGB3j0/Vib65l3oH5I/AAAAAAAABEQ/QjFgLM7zSuk/s1600/ruby.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-b_liWmGB3j0/Vib65l3oH5I/AAAAAAAABEQ/QjFgLM7zSuk/s320/ruby.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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Laura was proud of how well I and done, too. She said that I showcased the skills I have been working this past year perfectly, and that my love of riding really showed while I rode in the ring. Even people I didm;t know really well congratulated me on well I had ridden; mule people are always kind and supportive, which is what Laura says makes the mule shows great. I couldn't have been happier with how the weekend had gone, and I can't wait until my next one!Paolahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13169356458758529349noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8020713089783268496.post-87037930216781065682015-10-15T18:49:00.000-07:002015-10-15T18:49:38.708-07:00Hitting the Road Currently, I am on my way to my very first show. It is strange that for me the show seemed an eternity away while I prepared for it, like something that would happen in the vague future. Only now, I as am making the final preparations, does it hit me that this is really happening. I will arrive at the grounds the day before the show, which begins on Saturday the 16th.<br />
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Wednesday, I did my last training preparations. Before I practiced any obstacle, I warmed up on my own, riding along the rail and maintaining an even, regular jog. I practiced turning around as I would in a pleasure class, making a wide tear drop shape at the walk, and later the jog. I even jogged a clover leaf through the box. Through all this, I did well.<br />
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Finally, I practiced the rope gate for the first time, which turned out to no trouble at all since I relaxed and went through it one step at a time, pausing to breathe and think between each step. First I had to line up parallel to the gate and put the reins in my right hand, as I would be opening a left handed gate. I grabbed the rope in my left hand, paused, then back Ruby a couple steps. Then I pushed her shoulders over so she was perpendicular to the gate. After waiting a couple of seconds, I pushed her shockers over again, waited, then backed up and put the rope back in place. It was simple, really. The only problem I had was the Ruby began to anticipate; she's a champion trail mule, and has won at the Extreme Trail Challenges–the ones where people ride across rugged terrain and through water and such. Needless to say, she knows her job. It's just up to me to take my time. As long as I do so, it should go well. I don't expect it to be a breeze, but I'm confident and prepared.<br />
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I leave Friday morning; I'm so excited. If you are friends with me on Facebook, you may pictures be posted over the weekend(I have to conserve my phone battery, so we'll see), and if you are not you are always welcome to friend me; just click the Facebook icon on the left-hand margin of this page, and go ahead and add me. Otherwise, you can see them next week when I update my blog.Paolahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13169356458758529349noreply@blogger.com4