Tuesday 16 October 2012

Riding Miss Sunny...

So Sunny got 3 weeks off after our last event. Usually I give her more, but I frankly have been going NUTS sitting at home after work and I didn't know what to do with myself, so I figured I'd better start riding again! Plus I don't want Sunny to lose any muscle if I can help it, she is actually sort of getting a topline finally and doesn't have a huge dip in front of her withers anymore, so I'd like to hold onto as much of that as I can over the winter, haha.

I went out and rode Saturday morning, expecting a bit of a rodeo, but Sunny was actually really good. Sunday Kris came out and took some photos of me riding, which was awesome since I've got lots of event and clinic pics this year, but I don't have any of just schooling. We just had a short ride, I didn't push for too much, but I was fairly happy with it since she was pretty relaxed overall and that is our biggest hurdle. Sunny is tons better on the flat than she was in the spring, we still have a LOT of work and things to improve on, but if we keep making progress like this we are going to ROCK IT next year:D

Constructive criticism always welcome! I have been working a TON my own position as well lately and I am still seeing a bazillion things in these photos that make me cringe, so I'd love to hear what others say too:) Photobucket Our best canter work was when I was wearing my sweater at the beginning of the ride! I couldn't believe how far Sunny is splitting her hind legs and stepping under herself in the canter, she NEVER has cantered like that before!! She just used to kind of bunny hop with her hind end with both hind feet like a foot apart, so you guys really have NO IDEA how friggin excited I am to finally see her doing it more correctly!! :D Photobucket Photobucket Please ignore my half chap malfunction!! I seriously rode the whole time with it like that, I am so confused how I did NOT EVEN NOTICE IT!! Lol. And Kris didn't notice it either, silly boy;) Photobucket Photobucket Photobucket Photobucket Second half of the ride... Photobucket Photobucket Photobucket Photobucket Photobucket Photobucket Photobucket And a short video of the very end of our ride.