I think we are getting it!

Yesterday we hacked out in the gelding field it was quite windy compared to how it has been lately. Poncho definitely noticed that. Ha. He wasn't bad but he was very fresh. Silly Pony.

Today we worked in the ring for awhile (I have VIDEO!) and then went to the gelding field. With that combo by the time we finished up in the gelding field he was one the bit and had slobber, if only I had that on video! Anywho I am over the moon with my spotted fellow.

http://youtu.be/Q323E20PzPE

Slightly bogged down by bug and humidity.

Goodness gracious has it been hot and humid here lately! And then the bugs seem to be out FULL force. Poncho ended up having Monday and Tuesday off.

Wednesday we were at the barn early, well as early as possible with work, although we still didn't really beat the heat. Since we've been riding more with my  Mom we were in the ring again. Luckily Poncho seems to be tolerating more. Whether it's because of the heat, bugs, or he's learning that he's just got to do real work sometimes I don't know but I'm glad for the change. He was moving out lovely. Our trot work was phenomenal, he's softening to the bit so much quicker. Our canter work was to die for - in my humble opinion. He got his left lead on the first freaking try!!!!!!!! It was mad fast but controlled and he was just having a blast, and so was I. So we kept on going.  There were some jumps set up so I figured he was great, might as well. We went over our first vertical in months. Not a raging success but it stayed up. We jumped another gate with two barrels on either side. That blew his mind a little. Then we went turned back for the vertical - that combo was too much for him we ended up knocking the vertical down. I didn't feel like getting off to fix it so instead we popped over the gate again. Then we cooled out for awhile.



Thursday he had off.



Friday was so hot by the time I got on we could only manage 10 minutes walking in the gelding field before we were both drenched.



Yesterday there was so much commotion going on at the barn. The people who a leasing out the use of the facility (two western pleasure riders), the BO and family were out and about, and two random girls plus the boarders who kept popping up. The ring was all moved around and the blue standards and gate were on the rail. That's a no no in Ponch's book. Then there was a golfcart and gator zooming around the ring. June beetles were bouncing off of us left and right. Poncho was flying high that's for sure. He had a few mini bolts and lots of jumping and spinning but was able to eventually trot around nicely in one direction. I could have probably gotten more out of him but with people being in the ring with us I didn't want to accidentally run anyone over.



Today Poncho was pumped and ready to put his game face back on. We went and investigated the blue jumps just to prove they were a-okay. His trot work was even better. We added in some sitting trot work with softening to the bit, he finds it much harder to soften during the sitting trot for whatever reason. His right lead canter is slowly coming together - we are slowly getting our circles bigger and bigger until we can do the whole ring. Our left lead took some effort to get. Once we got it he went FLYING. Oh my then we come around a bend and are facing the mounting block about 6 strides ahead. I asked him to move over so as not to collide with it. And he said no. So we lept over it. It was more like a big canter stride turned jump mid-air. I thought he was going to fall. I lost my stirrup and almost shot off the side. But somehow he pulled it together and I hung on. Even managed a decent canter after that - however I could not get my stirrup back ohwell. Then we trotted a little more. Headed out to the gelding field for a few. Went back in the ring. Did some more sitting trot work and cooled out.

 

We are rockin' it!

On Thursday we just hacked out in the gelding field to keep it simple. Initially I planned on only walking. However, Poncho be Poncho he decided on the last lap as we were coming towards to barn he was just going to trot and ignore any attempt at slowing. So we did transitions within the trot the whole way back. Silly pony.

Friday I ended up riding wayyy late that evening. My Mom decided she wanted to meet out at the barn when she was done at work. I ended up getting some video taken. But before I post it I'd like to point out a few things. 1. our left lead canter is nonexistent in this video. I just couldn't get him to pick it up for anything. And he gets wayyy hyper during cantering so slowing down can take awhile! 2. this is about the 2nd ride where he has jumped without refusals in a long time. So it's a bit rough around the edges. 3. this was our first "working" ride in about a week which = sloppy, sloppy me.
http://youtu.be/IjU1WOEfhS4

Yesterday it was just me. Poncho was wayyy hyped up from the previous night. He gave me one of our most exciting rides this year. When we were working on cantering he was just flying! I literally thought on several occasions we would run into/through/or even jump the fence. Wowzers. However I was able to pull him together. We got the left lead - eventually. We got a controlled canter - eventually. And basically I had a blast! Then we hacked out in the gelding field to cool out.

Today my Pony was a rockstar! He was softening to the bit a lot. (It's been progressing the last few rides). He was keeping a consistent pace. Our right lead canter looked way better than in the video. We stayed in circles and just moved the circles all over the ring. Our left lead we ended up getting much much sooner. And it was 10x better than yesterday's. He started off in such a controlled pace - still mad fast but about 1/2 of what I had yesterday. He still had his moments of "you can't make me" but he came back to me much sooner. To reward him we popped over the crossrail 2 times then on a whim I headed for another jump just around the turn. It didn't have a placing pole so he backed off for a second. I put leg on and we sailed on over. He was definitely thinking hard about that one. Ha. I'm hoping that by this time next week we can do a mini-course.

LOVE MY PONY!

Poor, poor pony!

Poncho has had quite an eventful last few days. Sunday losing his shoe. Monday he took a chunk of skin off his left hind heel. Yesterday it rained, and rained, and rained. Today he got a new shoe!

Even though Ponch was definitely not a fan of the betadine scrub to clean his heel he was a good boy and didn't fuss too much. He even got a fancy schmancy green bootie if you will. I didn't get a picture of that though - I should have. I did however snap a picture of his lovely bell boots. Of course he doesn't really approve of them. And of course as luck would have it I got two different sizes. So they will have to do until I have money to get more.

This morning we were planning to get to the barn around 8:30 because that was when the farrier was supposed to get there and do one horse before Poncho. So that would have left plenty of time to drop my car off at the shop. But no. I get a text, luckily we were almost there, saying farrier was early I could come out now. However I don't think the BM realizes I live about 35 minutes away. Not a quick trip by any means. Nevertheless we got there and I ran to get Poncho. Didn't have time to pick his feet or anything, poo. Farrier looks at his other shoe just to make sure that one won't spontaneously fall off, ha. Then we got the other one on. Thank goodness Poncho is a good boy now with his shoes. Perfect gentleman.

Then I made him up a new boot - just to make sure. Groomed him up real nice. Then gave him lots of attention. I resisted the strong urge to ride. I WILL WAIT ONE MORE DAY. Even though he is sound and his heel has no heat or sign of infection. I thought it best to wait just to play things safe.

Perfection to "okay" to scared to great, all in a week.

Poncho's first ride in his figure 8 was perfect. He was going on the bit and just moving out beautifully! I was over the moon impressed with him. Just a lovely, lovely, lovely ride. The next day he decided he was a bit tired of the ring and put on his pouty face. I also had lowered the bit a hole to try and make it more comfortable (however he said he likes it better higher - go figure). After riding in the ring for a while we hacked out in the mare field he looooved that. We even trotted all they way back up the field, although Poncho thought we should go faster. He obliged and trotted, just really fast.

Monday he was off, then on Tuesday we headed back out to the mare field for a change of scenery. However the cows were out next door. That blew his poor mind. He finally conquered the cow then they moved and we had to start all over. We ended up just trotting around the area by the barn and even though he wasn't 100% focused he was good.

Wednesday we hacked out in the gelding field with Mom and Midnite - just walked. Poncho was not too amused with all the slow work. So after he had Thursday off on Friday we headed back out to the gelding field to let him let loose. After trotting around the field (in all two-point for me) I let him just go down the field. And boy did he appreciate it. He was flying, not really just for the work we are doing now. After walking around for a few then I wanted to just trot back down the field. He didn't agree. About 1/2 way down I couldn't hold him back anymore. So he had a nice collected canter all the way back. Silly.

Yesterday he was a superstar! He was soooo hyper we had to canter it out before we could do any productive work. Although he still really doesn't want to pick up his left lead in there we finally got it. We even did some jumping! Only a little cross rail but it's the first time he's jumped without refusing when he has a bit in his mouth. I was just so so so happy! I didn't get the best trot work ever he just wanted to go go go . But I was still super pleased with him.

Today I was planning on just giving him a bath. Good thing too it turns out he pulled a shoe this morning. Apparently he had it when he was leaving the pond field this morning and pulled it in the few hours he was in the mare field with Midnite before we got there. Luckily the farrier is coming out Wednesday for another horse so Pony gets a new shoe. I couldn't find his lost one though, not for lack of trying. My mom and I were out there looking for over an hour today. Poncho and Midnite even helped us look for a while. It was pretty adorable! Nothing though! Needless to say on the way home I stopped to get some bell boots.

We're making accomplishments, slowly but surely.

We've managed four rides since the farrier came. The day after the farrier came we went to the pond field just to hack out some. Of course he decided the geese were going to eat him. Silly pony! He was doing some mini rears and then trying to run away. Then the flies got to him at one point we were running backwards up a hill while he was attempting to strike out with his front feet. Pony had some major energy to get out, that's for sure. The only solution to that is work, work, work.

Unfortunately he ended up with three days off, in a row, due to extra work then sunburn then major heat. But by Tuesday we were back on track. We ended up riding in the ring because we haven't gotten "down to business" in there except for one time this month. So ring day it was. I was super impressed with him. Instead of slapping on the spurs as a just in case I grabbed my whip. Just so he would know I had it and would be nice and forward. It worked wonders. However being in the hackamore means less directional control so when Poncho gets an idea in his head on where we should go it takes a little more time to get back on track. Nonetheless I was happy with how he went. We did some cantering it wasn't his best work but it's been forever since he's had structured canter work. We ended up only working for about 15-20 minutes it was sooo hot. He was sweating like crazy in just that short time too. Poor guy. But he was still so happy to just be working. What a geek.



Then on Wednesday we went back to the ring to try our hand at jumping again. Apparently with the hackamore jumping is a non-issue. He was perfect. No refusing. We didn't do much of it just because I didn't want to jinx it. His canter work had even improved from the day before.

Yesterday was an interesting day for sure. We hacked out in the gelding field just walked around so he could process his two previous work days. That was not the interesting part though. When we were done and leaving the field things fell apart - fast. The pony, Solo, that is out there with Poncho during the day came running out of nowhere as we were walking out. Came bursting out of the field over top of Poncho and me. I tried to grab as he went by -but couldn't. Next thing you know Poncho's bridle is broken and he's tangled in the riens. I had to lead him in by the ears. Luckily another boarder was there to help rangle rouge pony. Too much excitement for one day.

Also luckily I was able to get a replacement bridle in the same day. I fitted it to Pony Man today.