Wednesday, 12 November 2014

Wednesday Word Vomit

I might as well call it as it is...although this post has a handy amount pf pictures. I seem to be incapable of making anything 'wordless' *blush*
/End of PSA...on with our regular programming.
I feel truly blessed tonight as I managed to ride both girls today!
I got Nancy done this morning, as i took a half day to try sort out registering the car I bought from a friend almost 12 months ago (yes I am a suck face & it has been sitting idle in my parents garage since).

Mirror selfie before we warmed up - skinny jeans & country boots are totes acceptable *ahem**cough*

We were much improved on Mondays hissy fit, yet our right rein work still felt awful to me. I don't know if i was all over to one side, thus blocking her; or if she was looking outwards and locking herself - probably a combination of both. I kept to my plan of working on transitions and was super happy with our work on that front. Hopefully as we both get fitter again, our lopsidedness will level out.  Plus I hope to get a lesson again next week if possible. Although the main trainer is away from today till the 4th of Dec (lucky ducky), so Sa who i was working with last week takes over all of U's lessons while one of the WS (Su) takes over Sa's students for that time. I like Su, so if Sa doesn't have time i might see what the WS is like as a teacher...

Showing off her destructive nature & angel face

Thanks to having the morning off, I was able to turn them both out earlier than usual and fill the haynets for the turnout area ahead of tomorrow and Friday. Happy days! This means I won't have to do it in the dark after riding in the evenings (typically after 10pm). I left them just after 11 and skedaddled towards work for 12ish.

Hopefully this rug can withstand her abuse
 as i don't have another backup for her!

I brought the two happy ponies in about 7.30, picked their hooves & sprayed their frogs. Tucked Nancy into her stall and tacked Kika up for our evening spin.
Hopped straight up and marched around the arena on the buckled a couple of times like the big brave girl she has become. Gone are the days when I used to hand walk her around till she settled. Bonus for this evening was despite there being lots of rugs & jackets hanging on the side, she didn't take a blind bit of notice ☺

Kika post work doing her best Arabian impression (top)
 and generally being photogenic (bottom)

We went through transitions, not unlike yesterday - although a bit more interrupted & disjointed today as there were two others in the arena with us. What can I say we are both easily distracted *blush*
Although that wasn't even really a problem compared to how ADD we have been in the past. We got some nice relaxed walk, not bad trot & some very good canter work. Plenty transitions, circles, serpentines & changes of rein mixed in. Our right rein trot work towards the end was a bit of a shambles as we found ourselves alone in the arena. Although I don't really think that was the problem, it was probably me - i have no idea what i was doing wrong, but it made K lock her neck and unwilling to bend around my right leg as we circled. As it was the same side i struggle with with Nancy, methinks the common denominator (aka me) is the problem...now to figure out what i am doing wrong & how to fix it *grin*

Poser McPoserpants getting spoiled

For a start i am going to stop being lazy by riding in my Ariat Windemere Country Boots & change into my paddock boots and gaiters to ride. I also need to save for either tall boots or new gaiters & paddock boots as my current set are about to give up the ghost.

Bloopers/Gag-reel as K blinked (top)
& stuck out her tongue (bottom)

Any recommendations, oh shopping gurus?
I have tried on the Tredstep Donatellos (although aesthetically i prefer the DaVincis, me likey the zip protector at the back of the heel as well as the top of the boot/back of the knee) in SLIM euroshoesize 39 regular height i think.

She really is such a charmer
I also love the look of the Ariat Challenge Contour Square Toe Field Boot in brown *swoon* (although I have no idea what these cost, nor if i can buy/try them locally or in France/Belgium or Germany...I will travel for horse things ☺)
I don't have a set budget in mind, and shall have to save & set my pennies aside to splurge on a pair of boots so although I adore Hillary's beautiful brown LaMundials i will not be going custom without someone local to do measurements and even then mistakes happen. A great yard friend got measured for custom boots and had a 1/4 inch difference in the width of her calf from one leg to the other. When the measurements were sent off to get the boots made, somewhere along the line this fact was disregarded & her "custom" boots required more breaking in than they should have. Thankfully it wasn't a larger difference, her boot did stretch the necessary 1/4 inch - so not nearly the be all & end all it could have been when measurements aren't steadfast stuck to.
Sorry that was a serious tangent! *blush*
I'm shutting up now! Hopefully the photos in the post make up for the word vomit!

14 comments:

  1. I have always liked Ariat tall boots! I've had the same ancient pair for the last 13 years and they've held up to all sorts of abuse. (Walking XC courses, walking in mud/water, not being cleaned for ages, generally being ill-treated, etc. etc.)

    The tack store where I work sells lots of custom Konig Favorite dressage boots, but I think they're hideously stiff. (Not to mention expensive!)

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    1. That's a ringing endorsement of the Ariat brand ☺
      A lot of people on my yard have Konigs, it is quite a dressage-focused place. I've never really looked into them, I just as u me they're out of my budget. Can't hurt to look into them a bit more.

      Working in a tack shop, can I be cheeky and ask if you can maybe give me a list of field boot makers please? ;-)

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  2. I have a similar issue at the trot and canter when my hips are tight. One hip is usually stuck forward, and that's the side my horse bends. The other hip is stuck back, blocking his back. Thinking about wrenching my opposite shoulder back seems to help.

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    1. I know my right shoulder is an issue as it tries to creep across the saddle to join the left one when we are going right. I am apparently worse on Nancy, I used to be bad on Kika too...dunno what changed, maybe she helps me hide it. If i have somehow managed to fix my wandering shoulder on K i would love to know how so i can rinse & repeat with N.

      Also, I really admire how you can isolate your joints when riding. Can you share any tips as to how to get better at that please?

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  3. I'm always impressed by your ability to make time for two ponies in a day with work! :) I hear you on the ADD front when other people are in the arena - I get it bad!!!

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    1. Sadly I have been a bad horsemama for about 12 months and don't always get to ride both in the evenings after work. I am very lucky that they don't "need" to be worked every day to be good girls.
      I am terrible when riding with others, either i am too aware of where they are & don't concentrate enough on my workout plan OR I don't pay enough attention of i am concentrating on something else and just avoid riding into people. I'm sure others hate to see me coming :-/

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  4. so glad the girls were good! it's frustrating to have the same problem across multiple horses tho - but i tell myself that at least it's probably easier to fix me than to fix a horse...

    anyways, re: boots - very exciting! i love my da vincis and got a great deal on them. they took a few weeks to break in, but now i could spend all day in them. they shine up nicely too :) i will say tho- i went for a wider calf based on my own measurements and their size chart, and it wasn't necessary. not a big deal and the boots still look fine, but a narrower calf would have worked better after breaking them in

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    1. I'm actually relieved the problem presents itself on both as that means it's a 95% chance it's me - fixing me should be easier than trying to fix them. Especially if i can keep up some more regular lessons. ☺

      Thanks for the Tredstep tips, I tried the Donatellos in a store when I was in Ireland in August so know which calf fit fits in that brand. Shall have to look closely online to see how to take measurements for other brands if i decide to go down an unknown route

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  5. New field boots - so exciting! I have the brown ariats on my wish list for Christmas :) Also I love your `word vomit`posts, feels like I`m on a barn visit.

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    1. Lol your sweet to say you like the word vomit. I need a compressor to minimise the nonsense spewing from my brain. #nofilter
      Not just new field boots - first ever field boots. Oh the excitement!

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  6. Yay, boots! I wear a slim 39 euro regular, too, and my DeNiros had zero break in. I'm always super envious of your girls getting solarium time (is that what it's called?). Now that winter has attacked full-force, I wish I had one!

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    1. I think friends of mine pocked up DeNiros for a steal at Equitana a while back. I might hold out till March in that case and see if i can nab myself a pair of them.

      I'm envious of my girls hanging out under the solarium too, typically i am faffing around tidying things away while they chill

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  7. I wish I could help you with the shopping, but I'm clueless lol. I LOVE that new purple with pink squares blanket on Nancy. Too cute! I'm keeping my fingers crossed she doesn't kill it hehe.

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