Bareback Contraption

Finally, a ride! Jetta was pretty good today.

I grabbed her from the pasture in the middle of a hail storm (ick) and lunged her thoroughly first since she's had 5 days off. Wow, I can't believe I haven't ridden her in so long. Anyways, after lunging her I tacked her up with a bareback pad and her hackamore. This is my "bareback contraption", the arrangement of tack that I consider to be the most comfortable and secure:

• Fluffy, fleecy bareback pad
• Thick western pad
• Western girth (instead of the wimpy little girth the bareback pad comes with)
• Breastplate

Obviously I haven't ever used this breastplate with Jetta before so it's way too big for her non-QH shoulders! But overall it worked considerably better than just my dressage pad and Mattes half pad. Jetta has such a bony back despite all my best efforts to build up her back muscle! Frustrating. Even with the 2, inch thick pads I was still a little uncomfortable and probably could have used a third!

Jetta was quite sassy when I got on and tried to kick out several times at my leg so we ended up backing circles, then figure eights, then more circles until she decided that going forward was a whole lot more fun. She was super good after that, doing shoulder-ins and leg yields.

After w/t/c in each direction I decided that we needed to play with the big bouncy ball. Cutest thing ever! Jetta was really into it today, kicking out at the ball without direction from me, nosing it everywhere and tracking it by herself. I wish someone had been there to video! She was having so much fun rolling it around with her nose - freakin' adorable, I tell you. When I tried to put the ball away, back into its corner, we'd roll it over there and get it in the corner, then Jetta would stretch her neck out before I could tell her no and she'd roll it right back out of the corner, lol. It was quite cute so I couldn't help but smile, but by the third time I got off and kicked it into the corner so I could finally put my pony away!

Motivation?

Where has my motivation to ride gone?? I haven't ridden Jetta in four days because of my mom's birthday, class and work. So today was my first opportunity to ride... but I decided not to.

It's just this cold weather - it makes me want to curl up inside next to the fire and hibernate. It's currently alternating between pouring down rain and hailing outside and I just really didn't feel like going to the barn when I could be studying for my organic chemistry test... I feel bad about not riding, but then again, Jetta's probably fine with it because she gets to be outside and isn't "bothered" by me coming to ride her. But I still feel bad.

I'm 100% planning on riding tomorrow and may even ride my friend's horse Tanq!

And here is an awesome xc helmet cam that will serve as my inspiration for this week :) I can't wait until it's dry enough to go play around on cross country!

Mucho Boring

Nada has happened that is blog-worthy these past few days besides working, studying and not feeling very good :( No pony time save for feeding the boys at home and giving Grady a good grooming. He's finally shedding! I'm always ridiculously excited about this time of year when the horses discard their woolies for sleek and shiny fur. Plus Grady is extra fun because he sheds a little bit over the course of a couple weeks, then all of the sudden it comes out in clumps and you can basically groom off his entire winter coat in one sitting. I may be weird, but I like it - fun :)

How I feel in class...

Mondays are a no ride day because I have class for the majority of the day plus I have a midterm tonight at 8pm (way past my bedtime, thank you very much!) so I'll go torture ride her tomorrow. The good thing is that I finally remembered to grab my bareback pad from home so that is what we'll be using tomorrow. I'm excited to ride bareback with some actual protection - Jetta has the boniest back, which I almost forgot, except for the other day I hitched a ride on her so I wouldn't have to walk all the way back across the very muddy pasture and boy-oh-boy does she have a bony back.

I've completely healed from the whiplash I suffered last week during our driving escapade, read about that here if you missed it! It was very sad - the next day I was limping, I could barely lift my left arm, my neck was sore so I couldn't turn it or look up and my whole shoulder/back area was sore. And all this from just getting swept off my feet with a pole, lol.

Other than that, I am eagerly awaiting spring break!