First few weeks of 2014!

2014 is in full swing already…. Still can’t believe it’s already January and the days are starting to get longer….  I got a text from Lauren yesterday, and guess what just came! Jax’s stall plate for the barn! AHH so excited to see it at the barn today!

I offered to help Lauren with apparel orders and her new “show setup” for 2014. Well the first round of apparel orders have come in and the *NEW* LLE jackets are amazing! Can’t wait to see how the show setup turns out!

 

 
 

To kick off 2014 I attended a Hawley Bennett clinic out at Dragonfire.  Like I told Lauren – it’s really great to have such an amazing trainer at home- because when you go to clinic you really just learn a bunch of little things, instead of the major- you are doing this all wrong. Was refreshing to hear the things Hawley had to say were in line with what Lauren and I have been working on. Basically at the end of the day Jax needs to be more rideable and I need to be more accurate. I need to hold him to my lines and not let him drift – just because he can drift and still clear the poles doesn’t mean I need to let him. Both days were amazing, it was super cold so I got my wear my new jacket both days- where normally I get too hot in a jacket to wear while riding. Jax showed his little green self for a few moments on Sunday and its really hard for me to grasp that this brave 4ft+ jumper can be terrified of a little 2ft cross country/ scary natural fence. Anyhow- lesson learned, when coming into something scary – don’t jump the first element giant. CHECK. It’s always embarrassing to have mistakes in a clinic but at the end of the day I have to remember how lucky I am to have this amazingly talented horse, and that I have to let him and I have bad days every once in a while.

Lauren and Adi also got to ride in the clinic- and I had helpers galore both days with Camille, Haley, Mackie, Maddie, and lil Lauren helping film, photograph and hold Kumo!

 
 

Zalsa has now been back into work for two months following her mini-vacation to grow some much needed front hoof. She has been rather un-amused with the 8 weeks of flat work, and has definitely communicated her boredom to both Lauren and myself. Well Tuesday was the first day back to jumping, and she was SUPER excited. She was a little startled when I pointed her to a cross rail and actually kept her on the line instead of turning before the jump. She jumped the cross rail a little crooked and then bolted around the turn. It was like a little light bulb went off in her head – WE ARE JUMPING!!!!!!!!!!! She was a little terror after that and Lauren set some canter poles with some flower boxes to get her to settle to the fences. After having been on Jax the past few months, I have forgotten how easy it is to stay with Zalsa while she jumps. She is just a smooth operator, and unlike Jax who I am always having to slow down with half halts – Zalsa I literally have to give her the reins, otherwise she just runs to all the fences. So as she is OVERLY excited cantering at the fences, I just get to sit pretty and give her the reins. But, man is it fun! I am made that I didn't get any photos :(

Came into the barn on Monday- to find Jackie taking a little nap. He actually stayed down even when I was taking photos of him. He looks kinda fat in these photos and his stall looks tiny! hahaha Fat horse in a little stall - bahahahah neither or which are true....