🤩 Hayley, a long time student, and her new mare Dakota. This was their first lesson after she was purchased and spent some time in training.
When we went to try Dakota, she had a very good start but was stuck and unwilling to go forward, and dead to leg pressure and spurs. I said give me a week of training, a change of tack, and the start of a diet and just look at her strut! NO SPURS!
Hayley and Dakota are a wonderful match, and I am so excited to get to be a part of their journey!
Some highlights from their sporthorse class ❤️
Parker on TL Sizzle, Hazel on Vertuous Fire AMT, and Alissa on Nobody Does It Better
So proud of everyone this day!
Hazel's second time on Sirocco, Sirocco's 3rd or fourth time back jumping after the summer.
We tried to jump Rocco a couple times at the beginning of summer, when I brought him back from lease. Nothing crazy and it was doable, but he was either backed off of the fences, or grabbing the bit and trying to run to the jumps. Even if they were little and plain.
I decided he could take the summer to focus on flatwork, groundwork, liberty, and trails - and then we could try again and re-evaluate.
I personally wasn't too concerned. I want him to be my fun all-rounder personal horse, and especially I want to do some more endurance with him, so not jumping was not a hardship.
Our first one or two jump schools back were not pretty, he was overexcited, but just a couple of exercises to ask him to come back down, and we have reached a nice place. He's still in his smooth oval baucher.
He has become much more relaxed and steady. I was not overly concerned if he started cantering half-way through the line, since the goal for those were to canter out of the first cross rail anyway. He is a very cautious horse and gets backed off easily, so we have to balance encouraging the forward momentum, while also not allowing him to rush. He's well in front of the vertical, on a soft contact, and maintaining a steady rhythm in, through, and out, so I am quite happy. We will do plenty of only trot lines and fences as well.
There is a lot more work to do, but definitely a major improvement!
First canter with Pandora! She cannot hold herself together well, as she has a lot of strength to build, but we are so proud of her try.
She is quite the strong horse, as many Haflingers can be, so our primary focus now is getting her light and responsive to the aids, especially downward transitions, halts, and backs.
And hopefully finding a saddle for her 🤞she is still on a weight loss journey and is so wide currently that our only option is to ride her bareback 😅
Older video of Sirocco and I from the beginning of the summer. He was lovely this ride.
We've taken a break from much of any jumping this summer to really work on flatwork basics. We will pick up endurance rides and jumps schools again when it cools down.
A little bit of fun after baby Pandora's 3rd ride 💓
GA The South Wind at Liberty
Parker and Sizzle the other night.
It has been a journey to get Sizzle to truly relax down and stretch through his back. With his past as a main ring horse, being ridden hollow, and a kissing spines diagnosis, it is so important for his health that he does learn to stretch through and lift his back.
Sizzle can be the easiest and most straightforward horse to ride, but if you are riding him with the goal of relaxation and using his body properly, it does take a skilled rider.
Parker has come a long way in her riding journey with Sizzle. She has learned to become a pilot instead of a passenger and I'm so proud to see it!
My baby Sirocco's first river encounter. I was so delighted with his willingness!
Video from our April NATRC (competitive trail riding) ride in Wickenburg with our Arabian crew.
For Michele and Vern (back on the pack) it was their first trail riding competition and while they are still green out on the trail, they had a stellar ride and ended placing 5th in their division.
For, Sirocco, my 6 year old green Arabian , it was only his third or fourth trail ride and he was a spice monster, but we had a lot of fun and good experiences.
We have endurance dreams for both Sirocco and Vern.
Cant wait to do a couple races and NATRC rides come fall!
We also brought along my two 17 year old ex-show Arabians who were very new to experiencing any sort of riding outside an arena and I was so impressed with their behavior. Cross training is so good for their mental health.
Throwback to working with Trace the OTTB in Florida.
Fun fact - Crime Lab"Trace" is related to our Inconceivable"Finn" through their mothers. The mares Criminologist and Lutess, both by the stallion Maria's Mon.
Finn should be available for adoption through After The Homestretch AZ here soon!
