5 Day Challenge – Day 2

6. Favorite equestrian book and movie

Movie would be Wild Hearts Can’t be Broken. Nothing crazier than a diving horse and rider combination!

I really enjoyed the Georgina Bloomberg series of books. Some of it is a little teenage and such, but it’s hard not to like a book that is realistic about horses and riding on the A Circuit.

7. Most common riding misconception

That all riding is as easy as hopping on one of those rental ponies for a trail ride. Another is that riding is only for rich people. If you are willing to make sacrifices you can make a horse happen on a budget.

8. 2 riding strengths and 1 riding weaknesses

I would say my biggest strength is that I can be an effective rider. I can keep my horse straight, get him to and over a jump, and get a horse on the bit. I think my second strength is that I can maintain my patience and calm 99.9% of the time. Training a horse while angry never works out well.

My main weakness is that I have a hard time stretching up with my upper body and getting my shoulders back. I like to be so soft that I start to sacrifice my equitation above the waist.

9. Least favorite thing about horses and/or riding

The up-charge that comes with anything you put the word horse on.

10. What do you feed your horse?

Stampede

8 lbs Buckeye Trifecta daily in three meals

8 flakes of hay daily fed over three meals, each time half grass hay half alfalfa mix hay

1 lb grass/alfalfa mix hay pellets once daily

Lysine supplement once daily

Loose salt once daily

Phoenix

1.5 lbs Tribute Kalm n’ EZ daily in two meals, soaked

6 flakes of hay fed over three meals, each time half grass hay half alfalfa mix

Smartdigest Ultra once daily

Even though it’s been pretty cold this week, both boys have stayed in work. Pretty much unless it’s in the single digits before the wind chill we ride.

Monday – I gave P a nice simple hack, nothing fancy.

Tuesday – Flat lesson. I was running late from work again, but managed to get on by the time the lesson started. I usually like some extra time to warm him up more, but it worked. He had to poop pretty much the whole time which was annoying because he didn’t want to go forward. Finally pooped while we were cantering the second way and then he was so much better to ride.

Wednesday – I got stuck in a marathon meeting that went from 3:30 all the way til 6:15, so then I was really running late. When I got to the barn Jessica was already on Bijou, so I got P ready quickly and did a nice relaxing bareback ride.

Thursday – Did a nice flat on Stampede, he was really good. Then we switched ponies and I rode Bijou while Jessica rode Stampede around. Of course Stampede made Jessica look tiny and I should have taken a picture. Bijou was a bit amped, so I worked on making him bend and bend and bend.

Today – Worked from home in the morning, then drove the hour round trip to get Stampede grain before going to the barn. Rode Mr. P while they worked on doing some construction right outside the indoor. He was great, he has really settled into his downward transitions. Plus he felt extra good since he got his Adequan earlier in the week.

Tonight we took Juneau to her first puppy training class. She was the star puppy and got to try several more advanced versions of what we were learning. Now she is passed out!