Cob Jockey

First, I need to apologize for my absence.  I haven't been blogging, or commenting, or dealing with life very well lately.  I'm working through it, though, with the help of my husband, a Seasonal Affectivity Disorder light (stupid Indiana - I will never adjust to the sun not coming up until after 8am in winter), some awesome rides with Connor and a show to look forward to, so look for more regular updates from here on out.  Thanks for hanging in there with me, guys!

"You want to get me in a show ring in two days?  Get real, lady!"

Connor and I are showing in Intro C and Training 1 on Saturday at Majestic Farms, with lovely ride times between 10am and 11:30am. We've never shown at the canter before, but the point of this weekend is to see how he handles a show facility he's never been to before, to see if I can get him as connected in a show situation as I can at home, and to have a jumping-off point for our training through the rest of the winter.

I thought that tonight's lesson would involve us practicing our tests, but it didn't.  She wanted me to focus on getting control of the shoulders, because when he's not straight, he's not round and through, and boy does he like to travel diagonally.  She had me warm up by subtly counterflexing him, letting him go straight, and then getting the inside bend.  I noticed throughout the lesson that I have not had the outside shoulder for a while, especially going around the short side.  When I had it, and when my reins were as straight as sticks, he went around incredibly well.  We even got the beginnings of lengthenings in the trot for the first time, with big swinging strides and me posting my hips through my arms.

Gorgeous, expensive saddle.

Part of it, sadly, is that I rode in the County...Competitor?  that Austen purchased from Kelly and is now trying to sell.  I'm temporarily housing it for her.  I figured that since I have it, if it was anywhere close to fitting him, I would ride in it for the show since I don't have a Dressage saddle.  Of course, it fit him beautifully (since it originally belonged to a Welsh Cob!) and he went exceptionally well in it (it's part of the reason we actually got lengthenings, I think - his shoulder had room to move), and it turns out Dressage is way easier in a Dressage saddle, and of course, it is wayyyyyyyyyyyy out of my price range.  So, I will enjoy it this weekend and go forward knowing that I am at the point that I do need a Dressage saddle, and that Connor moves so well when the saddle does not impinge on his massive shoulder swing.  And that I have to find something cheaper, because I have promised Nick that I won't buy anything this nice until our student loans are paid off.

Tomorrow is half a day of work, and half a day turning this:


into this:

Wish me luck.