Connor

[beauradical]

Maria-Griffiths and Wintec are 2 different types of saddle. Keep up the good work!

[maria]

Oops! haha, I'm not the best with saddles Yeah, Sue siad it's a Jessica Dressage saddle

[sl]

you were close MAria he does have a wintec as well

[happilyeverafter]

the jessicas are nice- thats what my coach likes

[maria]

Yeah, I agree completely! I find the dressage saddle helps me sit up taller, and it helps me get my leg in a better position, but then again, that IS kind of what dressage saddles are supposed to do ;D

[maria]

Had a lesson today with Sue, it was really good, but really really hard. Since the ground was nice (for once )we got to work on canter anyway, we warmed up w/t/ and a bit of canter. We have been working a lot on w/t transitions, and he has been doing really well with them. I was very nicely surprised to find that his canter-trot transition were beautiful!! I was very proud. A few days ago in my last lesson Sue made me do and entire hour and a half in sitting trot, and trying to get my seat, legs, and arms in the right position. I was SOOOO sore after words, I could barely walk ;D

Since I worked so hard the other day we got to work on some fun canter it was still REALLY REALLY hard! we worked on nice trot to canter transitions, and to get my leg in the right position at sitting trot. By the end of my lesson I was sweating like anything It was a fun ride, but at the same time really hard.

we finished off with a relaxed canter (as opposed to working at the canter like we were doing). when Sue told us to trot loosely, he kept right on going, and if anything got faster!!! I was all for it, so we cantered around another half of the arena before we cooled out with some loose trot, and a few turns on the forehand, something he is picking up quite nicely

[stacey]

Sounds like fun! Connor seems like an awsome horse!

[maria]

Thanks! I can't wait to show him, but in the meantime I'm just having fun training with him

[horseperson]

Connor's a babe. He loves to work so hard for you when you ride him, it's awesome.

[ruthy]

sounds like you guys are having funn he is such a gorgeous boy maria...you are really lucky to lease him

[Becca]

connor is alot of fun to ride you'll love him maria.

did i ever show you the pictures from when i rode him 2 years ago when he first came to cloverdale?

[maria]

Thanks everyone! I love him to bits and no I don't think you showed me the pics Becca, I wanna see!!!!

[SoLaNgE(L)]

i remember when Susan made us do sitting trot for like 45mins but if you pratice it zourself it get easy

[maria]

I signed up for the Lynn DeTurk clinic, so we brought Connor up to clovelly early so we could do some jumping Here is how it went:

Tuesday: Brought him up and got him settled in. Didn't ride, just got him used to the place, he was really good, and very relaxed. Needless to say I was very happy and relieved that he was taking everything so well!

Wednesday: JUMPED!!!!!!! We started out with only a little cross rail, but even that was sooooo much fun, especially for not jumping in a REALLY LONG TIME. My mom took a video, so I'll try and got it up here as soon as possible We just kept circling around and going over the single cross rail, and then at the end we raised it to a vertical it was still only a small one, but even so when you haven't jumped since the summer anything feels good! He was a superstar, and I was very happy that he behaved so nicely in the arena

[maria]

Yesterday (thursday) we had our actuall clinic with Lynn. She was really nice, and I learned a lot. we were all decked out in Connor's nice white saddle pad, polos, and dressage saddle. Lyn had us working on getting him rounded around a cirls, and also being in a frame, and flexing at the poll. It was prety hard work, even though we were only doing it at the trot! She was having me give a very strong half-halt to the outside, and opening my inside rein to keep his nose turned in. It was really productive, and my mom took a video, si, loke the jumping one, I'll post it as soon as I can Lynn is a really good coach/clinician, and I would definaltly take lessons or another clinic from her again.