Avandarre in Dressage

Our second show is June 9th. I am already a ball of nerves. We will be doing First level. I signed up for all three tests, but figured I'd play it by ear on how much energy Ava has. My big fear is Test 3, where the counter canter is introduced. It's a shallow serpentine figure from the wall, to X, and back to the wall. I've ridden counter canter before (in the long ago time). I've also made Bern explain the aids, dynamics, and concepts at LEAST 20 times now (that lady is a saint!). I STILL can't get a counter canter (even briefly) when going to the right. I am beyond frustrated! On a good note: Ava is now loading like a champ again. I also clipped all four legs and she acted like an old pro at it. This is in comparison to the crazed horse I tried to clip in April. And her trot/canter transitions are awesome.

I have been utterly depressed the past month. All winter I dreamed of spring and the beginning of show season. I dreamt of competing in numerous local shows, and making our mark on a couple of rated shows. I was GEEKED! After taxes, health insurance, monthly repairs to vehicles, monthly repairs to my dilapidated house, lessons every week, vet care, etc, etc.... I really don't have the money for showing. :( You know what keeps popping in my head... How the heck did my parents afford my show habits when I was a kid?!? That $&@% is Expensive! And for what? A ribbon? A little, cheap, plastic/rayon piece of cloth? I'm serious... We have NO money and I'm pissed I can't show at Waterloo. Why? I don't know... I wanted to show everyone how great Ava is. To show them how much heart and talent she has. I wanted to strike fear in the hearts of my competitors whenever they saw my name on the class list. I didn't want to be the anonymous spectator that fetches bridles an...

It's the middle of May and I haven't even entered a show, let alone participate in one, this year. I've been riding for almost 2 years now and I've only gone to one show! This must be rectified, and soon! :) The problem is money (isn't it always). My meager savings are going to go to a vet in order to get Ava's hocks and stifles checked for arthritis (and start preventative maintenance, or do whatever I need to do to ensure she has a long and happy life). I need a trailer and truck that are reliable and safe. I need my 20 year old saddle reflocked. I need new riding pants (the holes are growing and I'm beginning to fear a split in the seat soon). Ava needs her teeth done, chiropractor appointment, etc, etc. It never ends. And to top it off... The insurance company decided to stop paying for any service because the form asking if we use any other insurance wasn't in their money stealing dirty paws. So now we owe $800 for a stupid yearly physical. Apparent...

I participated in the Roz Kinstler clinic today.  My brain is overloaded! Next time I'm bringing a note book and writing this stuff down. Just listening to Roz teach the other riders was fantastic. The back story on Ava and my start to the day: Ava refused to load. Tried everything. Last November Ava was walking onto the trailer without batting an eyelash. Not today. Today, she didn't want to. My ride time was at 9:00 am, and I'm almost an hour away from where the clinic was at. At 8:39, Ava finally loaded. I was very lucky that my trainer offered to switch ride times with me so that I could still participate in the clinic today (Thank you so much, Bern!). The Ride: It started off getting Ava convinced that I could hold the right rein and move her shoulders over when going right. Roz had a great tip/tool of raising the inside hand about 2-3 inches higher than the left hand and then basically holding it in place. Kind of a "I am here, you deal with it" hold. ...

Quick update... Today was the deadline to apply for the Lilo Fore Clinic. After many, many obstacles, I shot off an email (application attached) to the organizer with a link to a crappy video. And let me tell ya, it is CRAPPY. I have jeans on. In my defense, I swear, I tried a half dozen times to capture us on video in our best attire and neatly braided with utterly no luck. So screw it. This is what I've got with the resources I have available. About an hour after emailing the organizer, she emailed back saying that the app looked good and she'll be sending it to the selection committee for review (next week since it's Friday today). Frankly, I didnt expect to hear anything back. Or if I did, it'd just be the word's "hahaha, you hick!" Anyway, application is in, no more getting angry about failed video attempts, and the best part... If I don't get selected I can blame it on the jeans and tank top and not my piss poor riding skills. I love s...

I just love when people say stupid things. It makes for a good chuckle. Well, after I stop steaming, and can cool off, THEN it's funny. Yesterday, a new dressage rider brought her horse to the barn. I'm not very good with general chit chat, so at an awkward pause I filled it with a "So, who do you train with?". We'd been getting along fine up 'til this point, with me making the obligatory 'oooohhh's' and 'aaaaahhh's' over her horse (he was very cute). Her response... "I ride with Blah Blah in Omgville." She stared at me for what seemed like an awful long time while I did the "I'm thinking" look (when in actuality I had no clue who she was talking about). I finally shrug and admit I know nothing about the trainer. I can tell she's offended by this. As though the mention of the name should've caused me to wet myself with envy and fear. I insisted it was my fault, since I really haven't been out in the d...

This should be so easy, and I'm totally not getting it. We went from perfectly (for us) balanced, soft, and engaged to... to... Yuck . Just Yuck. I'm seriously thinking about throwing in my helmet. It's so discouraging when you just can't fix the problem. I know there's a problem, I'm pretty sure I know what the problem is, but nothing I try fixes the problem. So then Ava hangs on that right rein, and twists her body so that it's impossible for her to work correctly. Then I get frustrated, and upset, and for some reason I think if I just try harder that that will magically fix it. HA (that was a sarcastic Ha). I feel like I'll never get this.  *sigh*