Jumping Bigger, Feeling Smaller!

So, Violet and I have had some unusual sessions lately.  We showed in October and we have been doing so much better at dressage and jumping.  And though she and I sometimes get into some struggles, we mainly have just been working hard at enjoying getting better!  So, for example, last week, Violet and I just picked up the pace of our lessons -- we move out at the trot with greater energy and we work from our rear end much more.  And we don't complain when we're asked to jump 2'6".  We just work!  But in my heart, I'm getting a little bit more nervous even as we are progressing.  I can feel a mist of fear coming over me.  I feel a bit frozen on her and I don't feel like I'm following her motion well or releasing her enough or even knowing how to drive her and pace her to jumps.  So, we are in one of those funny little breakthrough moments where you move forward several steps and also move back!!  But we're loving being a team together as we sort it out!

Booksmart Equestrian! Episode 4

Booksmart Equestrian! Episode 4

Welcome to Booksmart Equestrian, a Friday video cast about interesting reads!  Today Laura discusses important reading material that can be found on the United States Equestrian Federation webpage, as well as her own plans to write a fictional account of what she's learned from life in the herd!  Listen in!

Violet's Dressage Elegance

Here are mid-August photos and video from the last riding session the girls had on my horses before returning to college.  You can see my happy relaxed herd, just walking along with those sweet young women.  I have to say, I am super proud of my horses.  They are intelligent, generous, kind, hard-working.  And Violet has become softer and softer now that she knows that she's suppposed to work at carrying herself, and be round and  balanced.  I just love these creatures!  This past summer, we purchased a dressage saddle and just love it!

Renny's Sendoff and Return Home!

Here are photos from our last riding lesson together in late August.  My darling Renny was getting ready to go to college and learn his lead changes and how to jump courses and complicated fences.  And he was about to improve his trots and canter.  But on this evening, he was happy to be with his Grama, working quietly and sweetly and making her proud.  He'll be coming home in about 9 days.  I can't wait!

Uncle Carlo and Violet

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Here's early June photo and video of my darling Violet.  I'm writing this entry on Monday, October 24th, after a weekend with family in Ann Arbor.  It's a sad time for my family.  My Uncle Carlo has a blockage and hasn't been able to eat for a week and the doctors don't feel that they'll be able to help him clear the blockage. They can't start him on medicine for his cancer and he can't eat, so they are preparing our family for hospice time.  As these events unfold, my strength does happen to be Violet.  She's a generous, loving, goofy creature who is trying very hard to be a good girl and please me when we ride.  We've been jumping higher and more complicated courses, and she's happy to oblige.  She's been working hard at giving her face and being a lighter better balanced dressage horse.  And she's wonderful to socialize with. So, for example, yesterday, before I drove up to the Hospital to spend a Sunday with family, I stopped off to visit Violet and give her some treats and fit her new raincoat.  She had apple snaps, peppermints, biscuits, and carrots, and she seemed to genuinely like relaxing while she got her new coat fitted.  She's so charming.  I just love her.  It was a wonderful way to spend a morning before I visited my Uncle.  And it put me in a better frame of mind.  And so, many wonderful things happened during my visit with Uncle Carlo, but one of them was mom and Aunt Mary Jane helping me roll skeins of yarn into balls to ready myself for knitting Danielle's afghan.

Equine Travels with Laura! Episode 4

Equine Travels with Laura! Episode 4

Welcome to today's Videocast of Equine Travels with Laura!  In today's episode, Laura discusses when Hailee and Renny travelled to Michigan to go to their Inspection for the North American Sport Pony Registry (NASPR).  Welcome and Listen In!

Missing Renny, Visiting Uncle Carlo

Here is a photo from that magic evening before Renny left for college.  We were so happy that evening -- he was soft, supple.  He did his dressage routine so thoughtfully.  He gave transitions sweetly.  And then he was such a good boy about traveling to school. I am so proud of him.  And now, during the two months that he's been gone, our family has received bad news.  Uncle Carlo has been sick for awhile now and was hospitalized several months ago for surgery.  He has Cushing's related cancer and over the past few months, it's become clear that they're not going to be able to help him.  So, I'm writing this entry on Monday, Octoer 24th, and we spent the past weekend with him at the University of Michigan Hospital.  He will be going home soon for hospice care.  He's one of the kindest, truest, most gentle, best family man I know.

Laura Loves Lessons! Episode 4

Laura Loves Lessons! Episode 4

Welcome to Laura Loves Lessons, a video cast about special clinics, lessons or riding moments, I've had.  In today's episode, Laura looks ragged and rough because she's just come back from Renny's second dressage lesson with Janet Harms in which her wonderful sport pony gave flying lead changes in both directions and rode his first scored dressage test!  Listen in!

Softer, Softer, Ever Softer

Here is a late summer video and photo of my fabulous horses and their sweet girlfriends, Emily and Kelsey.  The lesson this entire year has been softer, softer, softer, strong, but softer!!  Namaste.

My Weekly Lessons

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I can't believe the year in 2011 I've had in terms of lessons.  Stacey gave me so much help bringing Renny along and becoming a better team mate with Violet.  Janet helped me become more immediate and clear with my aids.  Jill taught me to be a better training rider rather than equitation rider.  Emily and Kelsey taught me about soft, soft, soft.  Alyssa is teaching me about how to be an active rider.  And Beth is teaching me to be a decent person as well as horsewoman.  I'm learning a lot, as you can imagine!

My Beautiful Red Girl

I can't believe I get to share my life with this divine creature.

Booksmart Equestrian! Episode 3

Booksmart Equestrian! Episode 3

Welcome to Episode 3 of Booksmart Equestrian with Laura.  In today's episode, Laura talks about Karin Blignault's book Stretch Exercises for Your Horse.  Listen in!

Lessons from Stacey, Beth, Jill and Janet

Work hard.  Be nice.  Have fun.  Minimize the negative, amplify the good.

Violet and I Get Softer with Jill's Help!

So, the amazing thing about St. George is all the opportunity.  I had a chance to get great training for Renny, attend a schooling show with Violet and THEN at the end of the Schooling Show day, I got to take a lesson from Jill Jewett, the University of Findlay Professor and judge for the Schooling Show.  How many people get to be judged by an A-Circuit judge and then turn around and take a lesson.  So, she asked me what I felt was the biggest problem I'd had at the show (though I'd had a very good day) and I told her that Violet sent me a memo three strides out that she was going to refuse and all I did was read the memo.  She laughed and said that was exactly right, that's the exact moment when Violet changed her mind about the task.  

So, our lesson was teaching me to be MUCH more active with my seat and legs and to commit to the idea that I am the pilot, the decider, the driver!  And Violet's lesson was when I ask for something, even if I ask in a feeble way, she MUST do it with enthusiasm.  And if she doesn't, she might get beat!  Lol!  We had to work on precision of trotting and cantering over ground poles with closely spaced cones on a circle and this taught me pretty darn fast that I'm not in careful control of all of her body parts.  We were able to do this pretty much some of the time, but every once in awhile, she'd toss out a hoof and catch a cone.  And then we had to go over a circle of ground poles and do a outside line with an oxer at the end by the gate and BE STRAIGHT by the gate as we came off the jump.  She stood close to that gate to make sure that I went by the gate rather than cut the corner.  And Violet did an odd thing, she did a run out -- not a very committed one, but still a run out.  And once I really used my legs and eyes, she didn't do anything else but be good, but I tell you what that Sunday taught me a lot!  Violet and I can make mistakes and learn and move on.  I can drop stirrups, drop reins, be passive.  Violet can refuse, run out, be less than enthusiastic.  But we can work on being better.  And it doesn't have to be a big deal.  Learn and move on!!!