Going Riding

Well Thursday I will know just how hard Minnie Pearl can turn. Minnie is 'my new barrel horse''. i've ridden her bareback at all the gait and am now confident enought to actually take this speedball through the barrels and see what we can do. i know she's slung a couple of riders off before so i'm hoping and praying this is not the case for me! I know this has absolutely nothing to do with ridsing HUS or aside, but in a way i am taking lessons in barrels again b/c Minnie is trained differently than I am used to running the pattern. See the way I learned is generally called the "pick up and move over method" You put your horse into the spot you want them in instead of allowing the horse to make it's own pocket. The way minnie is trained you "pull to your hip" wheich cues the horse to use it's body more naturally and create the perfect pocket... it's hard to explain on a blog, works much better if you see it.....


On another note since Ado (the TB mare Sara promised me) is no longer an option due to soundness issues (we wound up retiring her to broodmare duty) I will be working alot with minnie this winter and getting her collected and hopefully show her HUS. She has a HUGE extension on the trot and a super canter. When she is relaxed and collected she is the ultimate working hunter horse. I've seen this mare jump in the mornings and turn right around and run barrels in the venings!! Minnie is a less dead head version of Gus. The key to her is keeping her relaxed.... this outta be fun

On the search

So as previously mentioned I am getting the STRONG urge to ride aside. Well with my daily readings of www.ridingaside.blogspot.com I am becoming more and more determined. I've started on my search for a side saddle. I've found a couple, one useable only for decoration unless I was to have it repadded EVERYWHERE, new billets and straps put in... aka more money to repair than the $175.00 they are asking for it. And i found one that is still rideable, just needs new leathers and strappings but the person isn't sure if they want to sell it or not. I can't believe how hard it is to find a side saddle. I understand with any saddle you pay for quality and the higher the price generally the better made the saddle, I just can't afford a new side saddle right now (1500+ for a cheaeper one)I've also had a hard time finding an instructor. I've garnished some information from my HUS trainer, youtube and the aforementioned blog so I think I'm doing ok. I've got AWESOME balance bareback at all gaits thanks to my 4 weeks of not being allowed to ride in a saddle before State Show. So what I've done is gotten a AP saddle with a higher pommel and I just kind of plod along on it as if I were riding aside. I walk mainly, just to get used to not using my right leg to balance and we have even trotted, though without the leaping horn and that other thingy (forgot what it's called) trotting is not the easiest. If I don't ask Gus to extend his trot and we do a nice soft WP jog then I manage to keep my balance.... extension at the trot will DEFINATELY have to wait until I find an honest to God side saddle.

A New Idea

I'm an avid blog reader, there are those I check daily and sometimes I like to "window shop" heheheh. Well on one of my window shopping excursions I stumbled across this blog www.ridingaside.blogspot.com not knowing what it was I clicked on it because I thought perhaps it was someone who had to put riding aside to take care of family or something, wow I was wrong!!! turns put this blog is about the adventures a lady has while she and her horse learn side saddle riding!! It is a totally awesome blog. I wholeheartedly encourage you to check it out!

It's inspired me to want to learn to ride aside!!!

New Project

My friend Sara is taking Feature for 30 days to put some hard riding time on her. Well I got to talking to her about Hunt Seat and how I needed to find another horse to ride. While I love Gus he doens't extend out with nice flat knee action on his trot, so if I want to place higher up I need something better. Well much to my suprise Sara informed me she had a horse I could use. This mare is a giant TB who has done nothing but show at top level hunter jumper shows in her youth. She's been used as a lesson horse for the last 5 years. She's a 17hh bay that is just stunning. I told Sara i'd definately like to use her and then Sara astounded me even more by saying "Oh if you want her you can HAVE her!" WHAT????? She said since the mare was about to turn 21 she couldn't use her as a broodmare anymore (she had 3 babies for Sara in the 8 years she's owned her) b/c she doesn't believe in breeding past the age of 18..... so she would rather the mare go to a good home than sit out in the pasture and never get used.  I asked Sara if we could wait until spring to pick her up and she said sure, come ride her if you want, but yeah I'll hold her for ya. See hopefully by spring I'll have a better paying job to where I can afford the board on 2 horses. if not she may have to find a place to board that is cheaper than Cedar Ridge lol. But I'm excited, I will actually have an honest to God TB that not only raced but also showed HUS and stuff ! COOL!!!!!

Aggggggggggggghhhhhhhh my legs, my poor poor legs

Well I haven't ridden much since state show, just dabbled here and there and the most I rode was last Thurdsday at Gordon's arena in Scottsville on Ida. Over the weekend I thought "Hey I'll get gus out, put my english gear on him and go for a bit of a hack' Well let me tell you it was immediately obvious I haven't been rdinig english... my legs... they are weak. I couldn't post for anything and by the time I was through they were jello. I need to get in touch with Tweety and start my torture again....

Selling out

Well if anyone actually reads this blog here's an oppourtunity to buy a whole whole bunch of english tack! I am selling EVERYTHING I have when it comes to tack... wetsern AND english. I have come to relaize that over the past 15 years I have aquired way way way too much tack. When your barn manager comes to you and says "Heather you really really need to cut back on tack b/c you are overflowing 'your corner' " you tend to sit back and think ok wow I DO need to cut back. So as a result I am selling it all and starting over. I made an agreement with Derrick. If I sell everything I can buy 1 new barrel saddle and 1 new hunt seat saddle this spring when we get our taxes. Sweet! So far I have sold clos eto $800.00 worth of stuff.. Which normally I would save that $$ and it would go towards buying my new saddle BUT we are using it to pay bills and catch up on some things. anyway guys if yall need some tack PLEASE email me I need to sell everything!!!!!

eros_n_equus@hotmail.com

More pics from State

These pictures were taken by my good friend Susan who came to watch me ride Friday! Thanks SOOOOOOO much for the support Susan!!! You have no idea how much I appreciated it!!!!

This was me & Gus right before we entered the ring. i'm actually smiling and my eyes are open!! WOW

The next pic was me and Gus and Erik before I entered the ring