Czar and I!

[krys]

So, I figured I'd start one of these for Czar and I. More for me than him though haha.


Right now I'm working on getting both of us back in working shape. He's been doing really well getting back into things.

The clinic with Dennis was definitely a wake up call on both of our parts, but we had fun and I thought we did pretty well.


Since the clinic, we've been working on collection and extension and doing some different jumping things. We've been doing some bounces and just single jumps. We've also been working on being much more soft and flexible.


April 6th:
Today I just lunged. I've been studying all day and decided I'd lunge in case it started to rain. I decided to work more on the canter today. But at any gait I just had him moving in and out on different size circles and really stretching forward into the contact from the side reins and got him using his back. He looked lovely!

Tomorrow I'm going to work on extending and collecting again. Collecting at the canter and extending at the trot are our weaker points. And I'm going to set up some kind of grid I think!

[teezernbreeze]

Bout time you started one of these!
I'm looking forward to seeing how you guys are doing

[krys]

Today I had a faaaabulous ride!!

I got all tacked up and worked on some collection and extension to warm up.
collection at the trot was really, really good, it felt so easy! Extended trot on the other hand wasn't so good today but we're getting there.
We got some really nice collected and extended canter though! Really proud!

Then we started jumping. I had already set up three jumps. I think they were all 2'6. I had one on the quarter line and then two on the loops of a serpentine. The plan was to eventually get him to do the serpentine over the jumps but we just then decided to make a circle between the two jumps and jump them on the circle.
We managed to get all our spots but two. So I'm very pleased!

then we worked on transitions and moving in and off big and small circles at the trot and canter. We worked on some walk canters and then called it a day!!

[krys]

Today was my first lesson in a while!!

We worked on getting Czar REALLY soft. He loosened up but it took some time. Then we worked from poles in the corner to a serpentine. We did it at the trot and cancer. We jumped a little just off the quarter line. Then we worked on lead changes but they didn't go so well at first. We stopped for a bit and then just did simples and then Sue got on and got him to do his lead changes and then really stretched him out!

overall a great ride! I felt like an eq rider at some times!! haha

[Becca]

just to mention, you two looked amazing sunday as well

[krys]

So this is more me, but oh well!


so since I've been on vacation I took some riding lessons (obv)

I rode this almost 17hh appendix named Sixer!
He actually has the most bouncy trot I've ever sat on so the first time was mostly me getting used to his movement and some slight jumping. We just did a vertical and circled around to a 7 stride line on the diagonal.

yesterday I had another lesson on Sixer again and it was MUCH better. We worked on a little bit of collection and extension and then did a lot of jumping. It was more jumper-y/eq than I'm used to but it was super fun! Lots of roll backs and we jumped a skinny! haha it was cute.

Sixer is SO much different than Rocky and Czar. He's more on the lazy side than both of them, even going into jumps. So I really had to have a leg on (I wish I had had spurs! haha). But it was much a learning experience and by the end of my last ride we were getting all our spots and did a crazy little course perfectly, lead changes and all!

Can't wait to go home and ride my boys!

[krys]

so I just couldn't wait to ride Czar that I hopped on his first thing this morning in the rain! haha

We tacked up in all our new gear (+a rain coat for me!) and headed out.

I set up two jumps, one on the 1/4 line and the other on the diagonal. the plan was to jump the 1/4 line and then go around to the diagonal. But the plan changed.

I started just getting him to move forward off my leg. Did that at the w/t/c. Then we worked on collection, extension and figures. Pretty much my whole ride was just getting him to listen to my aids. After a LOT of all that and lots of transitions, I decided to pop him over the jump on the 1/4 line. We did that pretty well in both directions and few times and then I called it a day because I was SOAKING wet and so was Czar so I figured I'd let him be and work on more jumping stuff when it was better weather out.

But while I was cooling down, I worked on just suppeling him to the left and ride on both reins and letting him stretch out long and low over his back.

he was such a good boy.

Now all we need is for it to stop raining! hah

[krys]

Rode Czar again today! he was good!

We worked on collection and extension at the trot and canter.
Lots of bending and suppling too.

Then we jumped. Here's a little video!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=lqXEB0CkBrY

I'm going to set up some lines this week and work on those!

[krys]

I fail at updating this apparently!!

So I did set up lines for last week! We did bounces and one strides!
Czar did super well with them.

I've been doing lessons twice a week since the beginning of the month and they've been going great. My first lesson was pretty bad on my part but we worked on stretching him down into the contact and bending.
The next lesson we did the same thing but it took us SO much less time that we got to do a lot of jumping. We did bounces with a crossrail to a 2'9 vertical. Czar was an angel.

This week we worked on one strides and collection/extension. Czar has been absolutely amazing that I no longer need my spurs. It's so awesome. He's just so soft and moving off my leg nicely. We've even been able to do lead changes without any issues.
His extension is a little sticky but we're getting there!!

We've been working on stopping him from charging into the jumps by putting trot poles in front and getting him to canter right into the trot poles and trot right before they start and then he has to trot into the jump.

It's great!!

[krys]

Okay update time!

As most of you know, Czar coliced last week and then was on some medications all week.
Thankfully he's much much better and I started riding again.

We haven't really done much until our lesson yesterday. We worked on lots and lots of transitions. Mostly on a circle. I felt like the ride was completely off but I think it was me and not him. My muscles were aching by the end of the ride!
We also worked on getting him nice and long into a hunter frame and his trot just fell perfectly into place.

I can't wait to ride again!

[krys]

I fail at doing this every day!!

So yesterday I had another lesson. It was FABULOUS!! We worked on getting a nice, relaxed, long horse. Czar was so fab and his trot is AMAZING. It has gone from 2 to 10 in like 2 weeks. What a man!
Then we did some jumping. We worked on a little course and each time I came around, the end jump in the line was raised. By the end we were jumping 3'3 with a lattice underneath!
I love my horsie <3


Today I worked on LOTS of transitions and lead changes. After doing a lot of flat work, I moved on to doing some of the jumps. Max height was 2'9 and we did a long side with a roll back to a diagonal to the other long side back to the first long side! He was fabulous again! SO soft and supple but we had some issues turning to the right so I have to use a lot of outside rein to push him off or else he just bends his head in and throws his shoulder out.

I'm going to be so sore tomorrow!! haha

[krys]

Another great ride today!!

Worked on just getting steady and round and staying that way. Our transitions were good. We worked on a gymnastic to a broken line and then back to the quater line but that jump caused some problems. I'm not quite sure why I couldn't find my spot to it but then one time around it really got messed up and I almost came right off.


Here's a little video of a ride before Czar coliced. Just some clips on a circle. All trot but it was when I was trying to figure out how to get him nice and stretched out.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=HrHlgUndMXY

[maria]

Nice trot! I never realized how long he is in the back till I saw that video! Lookin' good Krys!

[krys]

I'm so happy I can post in this again!

Czar is no longer lame! (knock on wood!!!!)
But he will continue to get the rest of this week off just to be safe and then it's slowly back to work!

[krys]

Rode Czar today!!
...at the walk! haha

I'm just SO happy to be on his back again.
At first he still felt sooo off but he's just stiff and he really started to work out of it.
We just did a lot of straight lines and bending.
He was an angel <3