Shows, Clinics, Lessons

I've been a somewhat uninspired blogger of late, even though plenty has been going on in my little horsey part of the universe. Here's a quick recap:


- I'm proud of Ms Ginger and her trainer/rider M, who went out and won at Ginger's first show ever! They got a 68.864% in their training level test and that was good enough for a win. Go Ginger! Very short video (via facebook) HERE

-G got called into work on Saturday, so what was a girl to do but go and audit a clinic. Loved catching up with old friends, and loved the clinician. She comes from a dressage background and was just so kind and positive. Every single person, regardless of training level or experience, was encouraged to get their horse working relaxed and over the back prior to anything else. I really enjoyed her emphasis on riding with a looser rein, particularly while training 'hard' things, allowing the horses to really be forward and use themselves. Every horse there seemed to really benefit from her and became super relaxed and supple. She was also a huge advocate for lots of walk breaks on a loose rein. I was left wishing I had brought one of my girls along and ridden rather than audited.

-My second lesson last week was generally productive, but Midge wasn't playing nice. She's been quite naughty in general, I guess. We're back to only myself or trainer riding her. She's found her forward button in a big way and is using that to intimidate and be quite pushy. EC figures that's normal progress for a pony of Midge's disposition...being lazy and slow didn't work, so now running through the bridle and being quite reactive to the leg is on the agenda. Maybe we'll find the middle ground one of these days :)

-Next lesson: Wednesday

-Next horsey event: The Mane Event this coming weekend. Once again, I'll be auditing, and am excited for the Jimmy Wofford clinic

-Other things: Midge gets my favorite saddle custom fitted to her this Wednesday, which is probably really, really tempting fate as it's actually supposed to be Ginger's saddle. If Ginger comes back here, I'm sure she won't mind using a not-quite-perfectly-fitted saddle, right? And getting the saddle fitted to Midge will make her much more agreeable, right? (Insert hysterical laughter here ;)