nikkimariet
Well-Known Member
Disclaimer: This post contains photos of me riding hatless. I am a grown up, I am well aware of the risks. If you are offended by my choice, please do not comment saying so, and read no further.
So, I have returned home to the Shire from uni for my Easter hols...I have taken it upon myself to extend the obligatory 2 week break to just over 4 weeks :slygrin: I have a show at Vale View coming up on Saturday, and then my second rounds at Swallowfield. In preparation I'm getting my butt in gear and am determined not to ride like a sack of spanners, and make Bruce go like he does at home/warming up at shows in the ring. He has this horrible habit of warming up all pingy, bouncy and active. But as soon as you enter the ring it is dead to your leg regardless of pony club kicking. I have swapped to longer spurs with a smooth rowel - am loving the cowboy swagger clunk noise they make when I walk!!!
We are holding dressage clinics at our yard at the mo - so my time in the school was limited, but I have lost 100% of my muscle tone so a short lesson suited me fine!! Fran/PS came and shouted at me in the school, making sure I wasn't doing awful things with hands/shoulders and ensuring a lack of dead baby neck.....
Bruce was super super super uphill and active today. He used to be ridden in an Albion SLK (which me/Fran/mum all HATE), we have now sold that and bought him a Bates Innova (cair removed and reflocked). That is currently being ripped apart and reflocked by our lovely saddler, so he was ridden in CS' today (having lost HUGE amounts of weight Bruce has gone from a wide headplate to a medium). I LOVE this saddle, the seat is just right for me. I have a dodgy right hip that cramps really easy, and in the SLK the seat was too deep and broad and I just couldn't wrap my thighs round Bruce in order to use my knees for gripping and aids so was using my lower far too much and giving myself a sore back and shoulders trying to force myself into that position.
Schooling today was a total success - I am pain free and am super pleased that Fran/OH/clinic instructor/audience said it looked lovely because it *felt* lovely! Was having a "I'm a rubbish rider, I look rubbish, it feels rubbish and I might as well give up" sort of phase and today has really really cheered me up
Bruce has really started using his shoulder more, much more *up* and active. Like to think it is a combination of fitness/schooling/saddle change (I ride and sit differently in the Innova so I think my aids are clearer which helps). If it goes like this on Saturday I will drown him in sugar lumps...
Having a mooch:
Trotting - long and low warming up:
Trotting - picking him up and encouraging shoulder usage:
I am pulling some deeeeelightful faces in these pictures and seem to be a, orange and b, jaw-bone-less....! But Bruce makes up for it:
Bouncy bouncy:
Love that I'm able to use my lower leg to get his hinds moving more in this saddle:
Canter work:
Mad swishy tail!!!:
Absolutely LOVE this one, so so so uphill (it's already my facebook picture!!):
Close up of Mr Smarty Pants:
As I said, time was of the essence so finished on a high note and took him round the field. This fields not in use at the mo as it is the summer side of our land - so the ground's perfect - bouncy, springy and stablio highlighter green apparently....
Mad hanson mane!
Wheee!!
Gorgeous boy and one knackered Nikki
CC welcome. But zero hat comments.
So, I have returned home to the Shire from uni for my Easter hols...I have taken it upon myself to extend the obligatory 2 week break to just over 4 weeks :slygrin: I have a show at Vale View coming up on Saturday, and then my second rounds at Swallowfield. In preparation I'm getting my butt in gear and am determined not to ride like a sack of spanners, and make Bruce go like he does at home/warming up at shows in the ring. He has this horrible habit of warming up all pingy, bouncy and active. But as soon as you enter the ring it is dead to your leg regardless of pony club kicking. I have swapped to longer spurs with a smooth rowel - am loving the cowboy swagger clunk noise they make when I walk!!!
We are holding dressage clinics at our yard at the mo - so my time in the school was limited, but I have lost 100% of my muscle tone so a short lesson suited me fine!! Fran/PS came and shouted at me in the school, making sure I wasn't doing awful things with hands/shoulders and ensuring a lack of dead baby neck.....
Bruce was super super super uphill and active today. He used to be ridden in an Albion SLK (which me/Fran/mum all HATE), we have now sold that and bought him a Bates Innova (cair removed and reflocked). That is currently being ripped apart and reflocked by our lovely saddler, so he was ridden in CS' today (having lost HUGE amounts of weight Bruce has gone from a wide headplate to a medium). I LOVE this saddle, the seat is just right for me. I have a dodgy right hip that cramps really easy, and in the SLK the seat was too deep and broad and I just couldn't wrap my thighs round Bruce in order to use my knees for gripping and aids so was using my lower far too much and giving myself a sore back and shoulders trying to force myself into that position.
Schooling today was a total success - I am pain free and am super pleased that Fran/OH/clinic instructor/audience said it looked lovely because it *felt* lovely! Was having a "I'm a rubbish rider, I look rubbish, it feels rubbish and I might as well give up" sort of phase and today has really really cheered me up
Bruce has really started using his shoulder more, much more *up* and active. Like to think it is a combination of fitness/schooling/saddle change (I ride and sit differently in the Innova so I think my aids are clearer which helps). If it goes like this on Saturday I will drown him in sugar lumps... Having a mooch:
Trotting - long and low warming up:
Trotting - picking him up and encouraging shoulder usage:
I am pulling some deeeeelightful faces in these pictures and seem to be a, orange and b, jaw-bone-less....! But Bruce makes up for it:
Bouncy bouncy:
Love that I'm able to use my lower leg to get his hinds moving more in this saddle:
Canter work:
Mad swishy tail!!!:
Absolutely LOVE this one, so so so uphill (it's already my facebook picture!!):
Close up of Mr Smarty Pants:
As I said, time was of the essence so finished on a high note and took him round the field. This fields not in use at the mo as it is the summer side of our land - so the ground's perfect - bouncy, springy and stablio highlighter green apparently....
Mad hanson mane!
Wheee!!
Gorgeous boy and one knackered Nikki
CC welcome. But zero hat comments.
sorry couldn't resist. he is looking yummy as always and good luck with you competing 
