Horsemanship and Western Pleasure Practice- 9/4/2010

I had to use this song because I know a certain someone *cough* Alexis, doesn't like it, mwhahahaha! I didn't get to show a lot of the horsemanship because my mom isn't the greatest with the camera. :) My horsemanship wasn't all that great today anyway. My elbows weren't close enough to my sides and I felt like I was really far back on my saddle :( but I don't have nearly this much movement with my body when I'm at the show :)

Vista's making a good amount of progress in horsemanship and in western pleasure. He's gotten so much better at extending his front leg at the lope. Vista also stays a lot more rounded up and in the bridle in horsemanship! I'm super proud of him. He just needs to stay rounded up for a longer amount of time in western pleasure, he can get strung out. I have to get him to move a little faster at the lope so he will continue to extend his front leg. Its not about the speed, its all about the movement and just like its name, having a horse who is a pleasure to ride.

I have a show coming up in about a week so we are training really hard, this show will also be our first time in months competing in western pleasure. We typically only do the pattern classes at higher ranked shows but this show is a little smaller so I think we'll do well.

I've only got some bad news, at the end of this month Vista will start shedding into his winter coat! I'm so sad, its so much lighter than his summer coat. I think I might cry. Well, not really but its sad...

In horsemanship the reins have more contact and the horse is more in the bridle than in western pleasure :)


Please do not critque my riding or Vista, I have a trainer to do that for me. Besides, I could critque myself all day anyway.
Thank you :)

Category:

Sports

Tags:

• horse
• aqha
• phba
• palomino
• quarter
• horses
• horsemanship
• western
• pleasure
• riding
• showmanship
• hunt
• seat
• equitation
• trail
• hunter
• jumper

[SnowboundSassy]

yeahh,, lights help.(:My trainer has them on timers so they turn on at 6am and off at 10 or 11. I forgot.....(:

Vista looks amazing.(: Good luck at your show.(:

[uglybarnical]

@SnowboundSassy Thank you! Yep, lights do help, were going to have one of those cool lights that are red and a normal yellow one LOL. I wish we had timers for ours though :P

[CrazyForLucky]

he has such a nice head set and noo i hate winter coats lol :/ but i heard not just having a blanket but having them under lights until 8-9 pm really helps. my neighbor does it and her ponies are always sleek :) wish i had a barn lol

[uglybarnical]

@CrazyForLucky Thank you very much! It seems like palominos are the only ones who go through a huge color change, I know even though we'll keep him under blankets and lights his coat changes color from a gold, to a light dappled color?

[lightninging85]

you have a lovely horse and a great idea of what you need to work on, suspending your horses front end at the lope is the only huge problem i can see, taking up alittle bit of reining or dressage to rock him back onto his haunches and get him off the forehand so much will make you guys unstoppable (when your training this he will get fast because its hard for him to do, but dont get frustrated he will slow down again just give it a month or two!) You guys already look great, Good luck!

[sunkissedbeach]

Really nice horse, what yous said about your horses lope reminds me of my mare... she tends to get flat llike that.. and unless I drive pretty hard her lope goes flat. When I push her hard and get a lot of collection then we are to fast.. It is so frustrating!!!!

[CrazyForLucky]

@uglybarnical yeah my pony is chestnut so he goes from nice shiny sleek to a duller darker fluffy red... i mean c'mon we live in ca its exciting when there is a layer of frost and thats the extent so why does he get fluffy :/ grrr hate light

[horseobsessed7890]

Yeah I wish I had a barn too xD

Vista looks awesome! You guys will do really awesome at the show :) I have one next week and Monday too haha :)

Winter is my least favorite horsey month :/ poo xD