The jumping condundrum....

This whole jumping business makes me go "hmm.....". I've been practising it a fair bit and it is getting better but I still don't feel like I'm that good at it. X-rails, we can do all day long and they are feeling really good. However, once it goes up to a vertical.... things seem to fall apart a bit.
Part of the issue is maintaining a good rhythm (on the accordian mare as I like to refer to her as...) and thus, finding a nice distance. It seems that our tendancy is to come up to the fence with a good rhythm and at the last minute, suck back and pop a nasty chip in. Let me tell you, it doesn't feel nice on the back. However, neither does taking off from a really long spot and launching over the fence...

I'm definitely feeling a little bit intimidated by the fact that I entered in a show this friday and it's mainly jumping.... It's bizarre to be a bit wigged out by a 2'0" and 2'3" division... That's just small potatoes... but not so much in a sidesaddle. I figure as long as my right leg doesn't give out and I can cling on, we should at least make it around even if it isn't totally pretty... lol

Issue #2 is jumping a fence on the right lead vs. the left lead. I seem to have a heck of a time keeping my right shoulder back over the fence and on landing. My whole body really wants to twist to the left over the fence, again, doesn't feel so nice especially combined with a not so nice distance....

Hopefully we can get this down pat in the next few days and don't make a complete arse out of ourselves!! LOL

Can you guess??

Can you guess what I'm making.... (I'll give you a hint, it's fabric!)

It may be freezing cold out there but I'm definitely having a very productive day!

No show today... TOO COLD!!!

As I type this, it's a whopping -24 degrees celcius and with the wind chill today it was nearly -38. YUCK. The cold snap is only supposed to last until Monday though luckily and then it'll warm up.

I just could not justify trailering my old girl in this weather for a bit of fun. There will be more shows! Actually... there is a Christmas Hunter/Jumper show in 2 weeks time that I'm thinking of going to if the weather is alright.

I did run out and check on everyone today and they all seemed happy & warm outside, there was even some running around & bucking going on, so they must be feeling alright!

Can I please come & visit someone that lives somewhere warmer for a bit???

I dunno about this....

Hmmm.... So I'm supposed to go to a show this weekend, dressage on Saturday (eeek more new tests to remember!) and some hunter stuff on Sunday. They have some smaller classes (X-rails, 2' and 2'3") that I was thinking I might attempt sidesaddle. I'm excited but nervous at the same time! I think we've got this jumping business down pat and we had a really nice ride tonight, including some jumps and such but I can definitely feel a crick in my back after riding! Lets hope I don't feel like I've been hit by a bus after this weekend! lol

Few more days to practice, so hopefully we can wing it and have some fun!

Just for Julie!

Do we ride in the snow up here in the great white north?

Why of course we do!

It makes for some amazing photos...

And sometimes some really silly fun!
A willing/tolerant horse, a "flying saucer", a rope and the appropriate winter gear...check!

Lots of fun! Unless you fall off...

Or end up in the ditch! Ooops!

Winter seems to be here....

We've had our first snow, the ponies have grown their winter coats and it's getting COOOOLD at night! Tonight their predicting somewhere between -14 and -18 degrees celcius. Brrrr!!!

Rain's first blanket. Snug as a bug!

And a cute one of Brigit and her new friend. Brigit hurt her leg last week and has required some cold hosing. One of the little girls at the barn wanted to help me, so I let her do some cold hosing. Brigit is sooooo careful when the little ones are around.

Feeling art-sy!

I bought some prints awhile ago and finally in September, got around to getting them framed. I had WAY too much fun at the framing place picking out frames and mattes. They were finally done on the weekend so we picked them up, they turned out SO well! Now the main issue.... where do I find room to hang them?!?!

Sorry about the reflection on some of them, without the flash, the true colors weren't really showing through and they looked really washed out.

This one is my absolute favorite hands down.

Young horses make me laugh

Tonight was Rain's 4th ride in the indoor arena and I think she was feeling a little bit spunky and decided that things were maybe a little scary. Her ears were going back & forth like they were on a constant swivel mode. Thus far she's never really spooked or done anything bad, just looked.

But tonight we had our first spook. My boyfriend was watching us ride and we're trotting down the long wall when all of a sudden she starts to scoot forward on me. I couldn't really figure out what she was spooking at and I look over to see my dear boyfriend, nearly in tears laughing. He finally caught his breath and told me that as she came down the long wall, she started to toot and she spooked herself. The whole time she had this look on her face like "What's that?!?! What's that behind me?!?!" LOL

It's funny the things we don't notice after riding broke horses for so long but babies sure do!!