Friday, March 28, 2014

Bit of a Catch up

Wed. was supposed to be rainy  but it only rained for a few hours and then got sunny again, so I get home from work eat some food and go down stairs to change in the breeches, I come back up and look out the window, Whin is bucking around like a lunatic. And it hits.
A blizzard.
And it went from slightly cloudy to this 

View photo.JPG in slide show

In roughly 15 minutes, I  Braved the cold and hooked up my trailer and rode in the indoor.
Whin was very in heat and we trailered my friend and her gelding over too, that might have had something to do with it.

Lets just say if I went into Whin's behavior while I was tacking up This would not be a family friendly blog.

But under saddle she was pretty good very nice and forward, we took it pretty easy and did some transitions. I also rediscovered the upward half halt, its amazing how you forget things, again I really like it. It has really been helping her come light and bring her poll up.
When Whin was still a greeny I moved up to the middle of nowhere  to go to college, there was no one there to help us with dressage and Whin was a wild child so say the least so I taught her to relax and stretch long and low.
For the rest of college.
So you can understand why 2 years ago when I started taking lessons again Whin thought she was a western pleasure horse. We have been working against that ever since, so bringing the poll up and sitting behind is a big deal.

Yesterday I had my lesson,
It was wonderful.
 After watching myself on video Monday I was feeling insecure. I questioning weather or not we are ready to make the step up to second level because the canter walk transitions were very spotty. So when my trainer asked what I wanted to work on that is what I said.  
Right away my trainer was like " you need to collect her more" and it was like the heavens opened  and angles sang, we could suddenly do canter walk transitions. We got them every time.

Then we worked on the flying change again. If you have been following this blog you know that we have worked on these for a while with varying degrees of success. She got pretty good with the left to right when we were jumping and not in a frame but the moment we were in a frame they went away. 
The first couple tries she absolutely did a change of lead through trot. 
Then my trainer said
"collect her more"
I asked and viola, a change, it was half a step late behind and she had to buck to get her feet in the right place, but it's the first time I feel like she is truly understanding what I am asking for
we got to more changes one on time still with a buck and the other slightly late  but with out a buck.
Needless to say I felt like this was huge progress!

Oh collection is a magical thing!


All King Edwards Horses Can Make Best Friends


P.S. I got some new stuff to make more coasters I am hoping to put some pictures of them up tomorrow!




Tuesday, March 25, 2014

Burst My Bubble


I Videoed my ride yesterday....
 Let's just say that it was kind of like those Memes
What I think I do

and what I actually Do

 
 
Ok maybe these are a bit extreme, I am well aware I don't ride like Charlotte, and we are not quite as bad as the bronc picture. But I think I am riding and have soft hands ect. but just like in the picture my right hand is going all over the place. And my body subtly rocks side to side so I am unintentionally see- sawing her mouth all the time...

And I think what is my problem!

I guess the first part of fixing a problem is knowing it exists, back to putting my knuckles together as I ride to keep that rouge right hand in control, I hope that, that will also stop the rocking side to side.

And the worst part was we had a rodeo and the battery died before it could catch it on tape!

On the good side, I got Whin clean enough to be presentable on video, and her frame is slowly but surely sitting more behind and lifting in front.

Also from a feel perspective and video perspective the canter is going great, the last 2 rides Whin has magically become very light and soft. From a video perspective  my right hand is more under control and my shoulders don't rock back and forth.

So Whin is doing great and I ride lousy, ohh well I am easier to fix!

Friday, March 21, 2014

Etsy Shop

All King Edwards Horses
now has an Etsy Shop


is the link, please tell your friends about it!

For ordering coasters please check my Etsy shop 

Tuesday, March 18, 2014

Painting


Painting on tiles.

Those of you following this blog probably know that Paint, So when my friend wanted me to paint horses on to tile for her new home I couldn't refuse.


She had beautiful stone tile.

I wanted the beauty of the original stone to show through so I thought that doing simple line work would be the best choice.


the paint was tricky at first... according to youtube I needed a primer and then a paint... but that was difficult to find, in the end I got a primer/paint in a spray can.


I did a test tile and used  a wet rag and steel wool to make sure that the paint would stay on the tile... luckily it did. painting on tile can be tricky I think it helped that this was stone rather than ceramic.

I sprayed a bit of the primer/paint on a paper plate (never put spray paint on plastic, it eats through and you end up with Jackson Pollack graffiti on the floor. Not that I would know from experience... of course not) and used a brush to paint it on the tiles.


over all I am happy with how they turned out, I hope my friend likes them!


I have been getting a lot of good feed back about these, I am working on getting together an etsy shop with similar items. In the mean time if you would like something similar please email me at  kimberlistudio@gmail.com

Monday, March 17, 2014

Weekend

Last Saturday we had a jump lesson. Whin may be a jumper yet, She is starting to pick up her feet and actually jump over them. (even though they are itty bitty little things...hey what do you want from a couple of aspiring Dressage Queens?) And when I remember that I don't have to suddenly throw my reins away a stride before the jump she went over them nice and calm.

You would think that I would figure out the whole nice calm riding thing because I have focused on dressage for the last 11 years...but my crazed eventing days come back, and all of a sudden I think we need to fly at the 12 inch jumps to make it over. 
(yes I realize that, that is not a safe way to jump but I fear that I was "that girl" in my eventer days fortunately I had a gem of a jumper that saved my behind all the time, in fact if I tried to take more control she was kind of like "get outta my way kid")

We also have gotten semi reliable at changes after jumps... the problem being, that we aren't really collected which is  the point in dressage, the moment I want her in a nice frame she seems to forget how to do them.

After I went to a improve your seat clinic, it was also somewhat of a save your back clinic. It was really good.  I learned loads of excises to help you strengthen your core and keep your back healthy. In fact my hip which is in pain often, stopped hurting after wards. I think I will keep the exercises and stretches going because I feel so much better.

Yesterday I washed Whins tail. At the clinic I saw a tail that was to die for, it was short just at the hocks and I decided that Whins tail should be shortened, its not quiet as short (some times Whin thinks she is an Arab and holds her tail quiet high) or as full (she rubs out her tail every time she goes into heat) but it looks nice now, she is no longer the hippy horse with dreads in her tail.

I tend to be hands off with tails and trimming, I feel that tails break off less when they aren't groomed so I usually only brush when we are going to shows, that leaves the whole winter for it to grow out.  I also leave a bit of feathers on her legs and I leave all her whiskers, and the hair inside her ears so that she can be protected from bugs.

I have yet to find a fly veil (for riding) that fits her adorable giant ears.

All King Edwards Horses Can Make Best Friends

Thursday, March 13, 2014

Lesson

Whin practicing being a giraffe and modeling her "winter blue" out fit by Horze.

We had our lesson today, we were reviewing stuff from second level, as that is what I am aiming to show at this upcoming season.

Whin did very well, we did rein back, simple changes, medium trot, and the counter canter serpentine. The hard thing about the rein back will be the halt. For what ever reason she doesn't think that she can hold still, so that is what I will continue to work on over the next little while.  Our last rein back was good she took nice big steps.

Whin was really forward today so the mediums were nice, I actually had to back off and ask for a little less because she was just trying so hard she was unbalancing herself.

We got some really nice simple changes, I still  have to work on not letting her get flat before I ask and not asking too much, When I ask right we get very nice transitions.


All King Edwards Horses Can Make Best Friends

Wednesday, March 12, 2014

Canter transitions

I worked on transitions yesterday, with in the gait and between gaits, Whin did really well. Whin likes to lean on the reins or I like to hold(...which came first the chicken or the egg). any ways I have been trying to lighten all my aids not grip with my leg not hold with my hands. I think I am getting better, but I still have a long ways to go.

Whin was great though she was lighter than normal and our canter is really starting to improve, simple changes get her excited but also get her very balanced. We also got a clean change, I was very  pleased with that. It was right lead to left lead. That seems to be her easier way.  Considering I hadn't tried them in a week and a half I am really pleased that she got one! 

I will continue with trying the changes once every ride, that seems to  be  enough that she gets the idea in her head but not so much that she gets upset about them.

Today will be a hack day. Whin's and my brain need a break!

All King Edwards Horses Can Make Best Friends

Monday, March 10, 2014

Hey all, I didn't manage to get pictures of our newly completed "winter blue" outfit. Or our sparkly whip. However I was very proud of Whin today.
1. she hasn't been ridden in a week
2. she is in raging heat
3. there were near hurricane conditions today (ok I am exaggerating but only slightly)

And Whin kept it together.  Only one time when we were doing half pass did she try to rocket off but she came back very quickly and we went on our way half passing across the arena.

We worked on lateral work on the circle, shoulder in to haunches in to shoulder in to haunches out to shoulder out, and so forth.  In all the gaits. Whin is wonderful in the walk the slightest shift of weight and she will change bend. 

She felt the canter shoulder in was very hard, but after some coaxing she went along quiet well.  The shoulder out in the canter was easy oddly enough and it really helped her to jump more in the canter.

I was very pleased with her today!

All King Edwards Horse Can Make Best Friends

Sunday, March 9, 2014

The Common Cold

Whin is finally over her cold!
And polo wraps to match this set^^ arrived yesterday!
Along with a bling dressage whip.  I will try to convince some one to take pictures tomorrow.
The saddle pad and fly veil are Horze brand, and they seem very well constructed, The polos (not pictured) are also Horze and they came in a very nice sturdy bag (not a flimsy one that will easily fall apart) and came with a wash bag. I have yet to wrap them but the fabric seems to be a nice thickness. I am incredibly pick about my polo wraps.

Whin also got her teeth checked and shots on Saturday so we should be good to go this show season.
however I had her tied to my friends trailer when she got very excited and pulled back the little bit of metal broke right off the trailer and she went prancing through the neighbors yard then The vet, and my friends coaxed her into the pasture. 

Luckly I had already put her front shipping boots on so she was not hurt by the metal bit on her lead rope... but good grief, just when I think she is finaly growing up...

All King Edwards Horses Call Me Blessed Fool

PS. The bell boots are centaur they seem to be good for the price, and are so cute and sparkly.

Monday, March 3, 2014

Flying

On Friday, Whin was brilliant. 
I started asking her (leg then half halt)to sit a bit more and she did. She just floated, I was so proud of her.

Saturday we did another jump lesson. Whin really had  changed her mind about jumping... She stayed positive the whole time. The jumps were tiny 1' but she took them in stride she even started actually jumping over them instead of just trotting them like cavalettis. 

also my jump trainer decided I should  do flying changes if Whin landed on the wrong lead.  she put some poles down so after the jump I sat deep in my saddle half halted like crazy and asked for a change... and I rebalanced and asked over the second pole and I asked a stride after the pole and pop clean change!!!!

we had a few miss fires but we got a leaping but clean change the other way too ... so I am very pleased with her, 

She has gotten a snotty nose though so she is taking some time off. Whin is very displeased that I am taking her temperature often to make sure she isn't running a fever.

All King Edwards Horses Can Make Best Friends