Friday (finally)

Long week at work, but we finally have our structured classroom set up and the kids were able to come. We still have some work to do, but I think we know what works and doesn't work now. With better organization, the classroom routine will be come consistent and the kids will settle in. We have sweet kids, both in East Linn Co. and Corvallis.

Now back to my boy, we had a very busy week. Jumping with Kylene on Monday, gridwork and gymnastics on Tuesday (three jumps in a row! a record), Wednesday with Kelsy, and Thursday jumping again with me. Kylene got to ride him today and got a much earned break from studying. Kelsy said we need to work on responding to cues more promptly and worked on the walk-canter and canter-walk transition. We're much better at upward transition than downward transitions. Jumping was fun as well. He does like to jump long and tends to not be collected. But its still fun.. Kelsy says that doing intro level at the derby this spring may be possible. We can hope.

Cross-country!

It was a good weekend for Em and I. We went to the Oregon Morgan Horse Association fun day and did a jumping clinic with Kelsy. With a little courage and a borrowed protective vest, we jumped in the outdoor arena then headed outside to trot over logs and trot through water. Emmy loved it and enjoyed doing a little bit of cross country. Then we went for an easy trail ride and called it a day.
Sunday, we rode in the outdoor arena and watched Nicole and Meagan jump in the cross country field. No cantering or even trotting, but a nice hack never the less. Then he got to play in the indoor arena and flirt with a nearby mare. He even got all arab-y.
Can't wait to see my boy tomorrow. In the mean time, I've got to get a classroom set-up by Thursday in Lacomb.

Friday (Finally!)

First full week of school... Lacomb classroom halfway setup, current on 1st aid and even taught one day. My computer isn't functional, but I have a classroom finally for the East Linn kiddos. Needless to say, I am looking forward to the weekend and look forward to some quality time with Em.
Last night, our lesson was interesting. Em was a bit peeved he had to be round and forward in both the canter and the trot. He was a little naughty as he didn't want to canter and threw his head up in the air. Not scary, but interesting. We were successful at the canter, leg yields, and even a little at a proper two point. No jumping as Em's owner was being a wuss. Tomorrow, we will jump! (and trail ride, even play some games).

Back to school

First day back with the kiddos! It was great to see them again and see the progress they have made. One little guy even started walking this summer and was able to walk for 6 step independently. I was so happy that I could have cried, seriously, it made everything negative melt away.
Back to my boy, yesterday we jumped for the first time in a long time. He did great and is obviously the more talented half of our partnership. He is a beautiful jumper and I'll become more confident with more practice. And boy, can he canter when he has energy and is forward! Kelsey rode him today so he'll be nicely round and forward.
Tomorrow, we jump!

Fiesty Emmy!

1St lesson on Emmy since the hoof debacle! He was a bit fiesty, a little lazy at picking up his feet, but otherwise cooperative and energetic. He was more collected, but not consistently collected. We didn't jump, but did lots of cantering.
Tomorrow, Kelsey will ride him and remind him about how to properly pick up his feet. Hopefully, he'll be back to his normal goofy self.

Back to blogging (and riding)

After seeing 2 vets and 2 farriers within the week, Emeries is finally rideable again (he was getting a little cranky- he likes to work). Between the vet and the farrier, they cut off the horizontal crack and discovered that the damage was limited and he still had a heel. It doesn't look pretty (especially with Copertox on it), but we were able to put a new shoe on with a clip to help attach it. He also got shod on the back feet.

I finally got to ride him again and we had a low-key trot and walk session. He seemed a little off after a week off and a stressful afternoon. Lesson tomorrow and then Kelsey will ride him.

Hoofs!

Another hot day! I went for the coast for the day, but Emmy got to go for a trail ride. When I got to Inavale to visit and let him graze, Anya (the sweetest 5-year old in the world) and I were grooming him and noticed that horizontal crack (I googled it!) got worse. Anyway, with help from more experienced horse people, his hoof is wrapped in vet tape and duct tape and has a bell boot on. Hopefully it will hold until tomorrow when the back-up farrier comes. Horse ownership is fun... most of the time.