Friday, June 4, 2010

Friday Journal

Hoooooly moley I am so tired today! Prolly cause I haven't been going to bed early like I should, and because I am sooo not used to working in a barn and riding twice a day. But this is a good tired, a satisfied "I was so productive today" tired.
To start off the day I helped with the chores, since its just Marvin and Katrin working these last couple days. I think I surprised Gabi that I was still helping them, either way I think I should pull my weight around here. I then got myself a little breakfast, took a 15 min nap, and got my butt back to the barn to ride.
My first ride of the day was Le Marquis, he's really pretty, and really smart, but a total jerk if you let him get away with it. I have good news, since Gabi warned me, he didn't get away with it. We actually had a really good ride. He's a jerk when you don't do it just right too. So if my legs were too far forward, he was a jerk. If I used too much inside rein, he was a jerk. If I didn't turn him from my outside aids, he was a jerk. I'll tell you what, this horse is the best teacher in the world, smart enough to know a lot of movements and what different aids mean, and smart enough to know when its not right and he doesn't have to do it. That's a schoolmaster.
After that I went into town and figured out the Deutschbahn, it wasn't as bad as I thought, and I got 3 Euro off because I booked it with a kiosk! So, I'm going to Weiden tomorrow to meet up with Aaron, should be a good trip! I've been wanting to see another city, even if it is a small one like Ansbach, feels more like a real German experience that way.
My second ride was on Lorena, and it was a jumping lesson! We have narrowed my issues down to my hands and my seat. My hands are occasionally crazy over the jump, especially when I get surprised or don't trust that the spot is perfect; and my seat is an issue after the jump. I have a tendency to yank with my hands while my butt is out of the saddle, instead of using my seat to bring the horse back to a nice slow canter. Needless to say, Lorena ran. And ran. And ran. My arms are killing me. Gabi trusted me enough to keep the jumps a little higher than I expected (still small though, we MAYBE jumped 2'9" today-funny, the biggest one was our best one) so that was good, but I think I'm going to try jumping a different horse next time. Lorena's just too hard to slow down, and I need a horse that's going to encourage me to sit after the jump. To add to that, I think Gabi can tell that she and I don't really have a connection. She doesn't go on the bit, or at least not for me, and I feel like I have no control...therefore, I don't like her very much.
As always though it was a good day, and I'm looking forward to my ride tomorrow, a little work, and then a nice evening in Weiden.
Tschuss!!