Great Ride on Moe!

 I had a great ride on Moe yesterday for my lesson. I was a lot more balanced and was gripping with my calf rather than my knee as I had found myself doing during my last lesson. Also, I was a lot more relaxed and so was Moe, though she was still just as speedy as usual.

I love this one!

 Throughout my lesson, I asked her come round and on the bit, working on that the entire lesson. I rode her around the dressage arena at the trot, changing directions several times and asking her to drop her head. When it came time to canter, I sat back, asked for the transition, and managed to get a left lead canter on a 20 meter circle. As I cantered, I held the outside rein to slow her down. The second time I cantered, she picked up the right lead rather than the left lead, so I made a diagonal and circled to the right on the other side of arena instead.

Toward the end of the lesson, I tried one of the new Training Level dressage tests, the 2015 Training Level Test 2. I gathered up my reins at A, then circled, gradually shortening the reins as I circled until Moe had lowered her head and relaxed. Then I went up centerline, Besides Moe not picking up the correct lead on the left lead canter part, the test when smoothly and seemed like one of the best tests I've done. Moe was relaxed and wasn't taking off. In fact she was going quite slow, probably because I had shortened the reins to get her to lower her head and become round.

 One of her best traits is her walk. She has an excellent, smooth walk, with her legs reaching forward and her hips swinging. If she went to a show, she'd likely get a ten for her walk---it's that nice.

The test went like this: Up centerline, X halt salute. C track right. At B 20 meter circle, at K across the diagonal, then canter between C and H. As I said this is where we had the problem of Moe not picking up the correct lead, so I returned to trot to try again. When she still didn't pick up the correct lead, Meghan said to go ahead and stay in counter-canter. I made a 20 meter circle at E, then before K returned to trot. I made a circle at A, then I free walked a loop from F to X to M, then trotted again, circled left at E, made a diagonal at H, cantered before M, circled at B, then returned to trot and turned up centerline.

  I had a great ride and test, and Meghan said that I had done great. It was a much more successful ride than last time, when I first rode after some time off.

This is what winter riding clothes looks like in California.

First Ride at the New Place!

  I finally had my first lesson since the end September. As you may recall, all the horses have been moved from Silver Rose after it was sold and now live at a place called Third Day Farms, a nice eventing facility. It's a beautiful place with nice white fencing surrounding each of the paddocks and arenas. The barn is a beautiful white with a green roof, and the stalls inside have small turnouts attached to them for the horses to be turned out. All the horses from Silver Rose seem to be near each other, in the paddocks behind the barn and next to the dressage arena.

The barn, which you face as you come in.

Turnout for the horses in the barn, which is to the left of the barn if you are facing the front.

Dressage arena, which you reach after you pass on the left side of the barn.

The round pen is in front of the barn.

the jumping arena is in front of and to the right of the barn,

 When I arrived, Meghan showed me where everything is. Moe is on the end right next to the dressage arena. Also nearby are two sheds, where the tack is stored. I grabbed Moe, tying her up next to the shed, not in the barn---everyone tacks up outside, right next to the tack shed. Fall is here, so Moe was looking quite fluffy. I was also using a new intercom that my trainer now uses in lessons. All her students now wear earphones during the lesson so she can talk directly to them rather than shouting across the arena.

The paddocks that are across from the jumping arena.

The paddocks where the lesson horses are. Just turn left when you reach the turn in the picture above, pass those paddocks and make one more left turn, and these are on the right.

The tack sheds, which are across from the paddocks pictured above.

 My riding wasn't the best; I had to spend the whole lesson reviewing basic things and getting used to riding after a month break(well I have been riding the pony but not very much). For some reason I had trouble putting my leg on Moe, gripping with my knees instead, stuggling for balance as I flopped around. I felt tense the entire time. As I rode around the arena and on circles and serpentines, I focused on using my calves, pushing Moe forward and balancing with me seat, not on the bit. Of course Moe was becoming tense and worried because of the way I was riding.

Fuzzy horse!

My position looks pretty nice here.

 Around halfway through the lesson, Meghan asked me if I was comfortable cantering. I said that I was, and made a 20 meter circle to the right. I took a deep breath, then asked for the canter. I had to ask a couple times because I was unbalanced. Once I was cantering I finally began to relax and focused on enjoying the canter, which really helped. I softened my hands and sat deep in the saddle. At one point I felt a strange change in her gait, realizing that Moe had done a flying lead change, either because she just wanted to or from conflicting aids, I'm not sure. Either way, it's cool I experienced my first flying change even if it was by accident.

My favorite from yesterday's lessons. It also looks the part where my riding was best that lesson.

 After a few circles, I trotted and tried cantering left, also on a circle. Moe sometimes has trouble picking up the left lead, but she picked it up nicely after just a couple tries. It went smoothly, but after several circles I lost my balance and she fell out of canter, not picking up the correct lead again. Instead of trying many more times, Meghan had me change directions and canter right several more times.

 To end my lesson I rode past the front of the barn, around the corner to the left, through a path that went between to groups of paddocks, and around to the left again, past the tack sheds where I had tacked Moe up at. This path is quite a bit shorter than the one at Silver Rose, but it was nice going around and exploring the new place. Afterward I hosed Moe off at the wash rack, which is next to the jumping arena near the barn. It's a neat place; I like it.

 Hopefully by my next lesson I will get back into things again. For now I am riding just once a week though.

Dilemma

I have some good news, but also a slight dilemma. The good news is, my trainer found a barn for the horses to move to. It is an nice eventing place called Third Day Farms that has multiple arenas, a beautiful barn, and a cross country course. It would be a nice place for me to start eventing later on. Going there will work out well so my trainer can be the dressage trainer there. However, only seven horses, the full training horses, will go there, which makes sense since that's where Meghan will train out of. The rest of the horses will go to a place called Parker's that is not too far away. Both seem like nice places and are actually a bit closer than Silver Rose.

 Chester will be going to Parker's, leaving my in a slight dilemma. It's not exactly a good idea for me to tack up Chester in a new place without my trainer nearby, and she might not be able to make it to the place until my lesson starts since she would be teaching lessons at Third Day. Plus, all the girls my age are going to Third Day since they are the ones showing. Most likely we will end the lease with Chester. I was beginning to outgrow him anyways and even had to take a step back by riding him on a loose rein to make him happy, rather than keeping a firm dressage contact. Chester is a great horse to learn on, but walk/trot/canter are the extent of what he can teach me, making him great for beginnings or people not interested in showing. I have learned a lot, but it is time to move on. This leaves me with two options to consider. 

Option #1: I can partial lease Mo, one of the lesson horses. Mo is a small bay Thoroughbred mare trained through 3rd level dressage, so she definitely has quite a bit to teach me. The only downside is that she is in her early twenties and will most likely need some shots to keep in regular work. These shots could be around $100 or a bit more or less depending on what's needed. We might have to be partly responsible for providing veterinary care depending how the lease works out. She doesn't have many physical problems but is a little out of shape. I rode her earlier this week.

Option #2: My second option is that I can take a break from my regular several times a week lessons and reduce them to once a week on Mo. This will allow me to set aside more money to get a horse of my own, hopefully around November or December if everything works out and if trainer finds a good one. Who knows, maybe I will find a buy or lease situation at Third Day.

Both options have their pros and cons. If I pick option one I would be able to ride a horse that can teach me a lot, yet my family would have to be responsible for taking care of some of her needs, meaning less money to set aside for my own horse. Option two allows me to ride and save more money for a horse of my own. What is your opinion on the matter? I'd love to hear your input on this decision.