It's been a while

I haven't gotten on here in forever! Sorry guys. I just have not had the time to get on like I used to. I generally post during the summer or during the breaks from school. But anyway yeah. I'm soo ready for my next lesson. Anyway it's like the same day as my trainer's birthday. So i'm excited for that :) I'm pretty sure my mom is gonna go to the barn with me for that lesson. She wants to go with me when i give Linnea her christmas present. And when i give Maizie (Linnea's dog) and Dooley (The barn owner, Kim's, dog) their presents. But I'd better go or I'll be late for school.

I realized something.

Last night I went with my friend, Elaine , to go see Secretariat. During the movie I realized that the horse that I ride is just like him. He's a determined being. When he does something right, he knows it and when he does it wrong, he, yet again, knows it. He will try with all his heart to do what I want. Last Thursday I fell off and landed infront of him. He nudged me with his nose and started licking me. I rubbed his nose from the ground. When I got up he thought I was mad at him. I wasn't. I was mad at myself for falling off when I should have stayed on. I got back on, patted him, and went to go over the jump again. We did good. Over the past few years i've learned many things. Most of those things are from what I learned from the trainers i've had and the horses i've ridden
Toby- I learned to trust, love and to KICK!
Clark- I learned to be determined and stubborn
Abigail- I learned that I have choices
Jules- I learned to ride with light hands and to never trust barn dogs near the ring.
Grayson-I learned NOT to kick and to be even LIGHTER with my hands.
Ziggy- I learned to be even MORE stubbborn, determined and to stay away from him.
Count- I learned not to trust.
Red- I started to learn to trust again and to use more leg.
Baby- I learned even more trust and to use EVEN MORE leg.
Tripp- I learrned to hate birds and to kick harder.
Reina- I learned to use less leg.

Trainers
Linnea- I learned the basics of riding and to trust the horses and people around me.
Jessica- I learned to be stubborn,determined and to not trust people.
Cindy- I learned to be even more leary of people.
Linnea- I'm learning even more about riding and the trust people yet again and building up confidence in riding again and especially to breathe while riding.

I had a lesson yesterday!

During my lesson on Red, we worked on all my angles. I was having difficulty keeping my shoulders back and my legs stretched down. I think part of the problem with the legs were that I had started out with my stirrups too long then I shortened them 2 holes when i should have only shortened them one hole. OH well. I'll remember that next time. Anyway. We worked on my postion mainly at the trot. Red was really slow at first. He had just done a western lesson and we were like "Red we're doing english now!" He sped up. At the end we did do some jumping. My Eq is getting better over fences I just forget at times and my shoulders come forword and I round my back :( But it'll get better with time. I just have to remember that. I will post pics later since I haven't gotten them off of the camera yet.

As school gets closer...

As school gets closer I am now realizing that I really am a senior. It scares me a little. I'm getting ready to start my last year of high school. So this week I don't have much to do other than go to my riding lesson on Thursday @ 6 with Linnea. Saturday is a family thing (Which i really wish I had a horse show to go to instead.) Then the next week is kinda busier... I have senior pics on the 18th and possible a schedule change... I'm not sure though. Then school starts on the 25th. My parents are going camping during this time. And I have a riding lesson the first week of school...well as far as I know.... i'm not sure cause Linnea may be going out of state for a week I'm just not sure of when that is. So that riding lesson is a maybe right now.

Since I'm on a different computer (Cause mine is still not working right and we don't think it ever will again) I thought i'd share an old show pic. This is back from my first show season. 2008. This was at my first walk/trot/canter show. It was with my 2nd trainer, Jessica, Linnea had been my previous trainer, but anyway, WE went to this show and here are the horse/pony and rider pairs.

For walk/trot

Hallie and Clark

Anna Grace and Toby

For walk/trot/canter

Madison and Sugar

Elizabeth and Clark

Christen(Me) and Toby

I had told Linnea that we were going to this show so she came to watch us. Quite frankly....she wasn't happy. She thought Elizabeth, Madison and I were not ready for a walk/trot/canter class at a horse show. ANd she really wasn't happy when she saw Elizabeth lose control of Clark and nearly t-bone me and Toby. I knew Linnea was going to come to the show to watch and I knew she was there because I had seen her truck. I saw her later for like 2 seconds then I had to take Toby to the trailer. I saw her on her way to leave later so i threw Toby's lead rope to Elizabeth and i chased after Linnea. She said I'll talk to you later. And that was pretty much it. And a few people from the barn where I was going to go next were watching us. Linnea left and i just stood there.I didn't wanna go back to the trainer that hated me. I wanted Linnea to be my trainer again but that wasn't going to happen anytime soon cause the farm where she was teaching was over an hour away from where I live. SO sadly i went back to the trailer and groomed and loaded the horses. We left and went to the barn and ate lunch. THe barn owners were happy cause all of the riders came home with at least one ribbon. THey were really happy with me and Madison since we placed in every one of our classes. No one knew that it was around this time that i started of thinking about going to a new barn.

Riding yesterday.

My lesson was awesome! I rode a horse named Red, who loves to go fast. Most horses i've ridden like to go slow. So that was a little difficult. So a lot of half-halts were used. My equitation was extremely bad. I know it. Also my muscles really aren't there haha. Also right now, i'm not that confident in the saddle, so the saying "Fearless in the irons" does not apply to me right now. But anyway, Linnea said she'll ease me back into it. It was really hot yesterday, so I hosed off Red afterward. He's sooo cute when he gets hosed off! = ) Linnea had to help me with a lot though, with my arm it's not like I can do that much for a while anyway. I have to get surgery = (

Sadly No riding today.

Well...me typing right now means I did not die today. There were really bad thunderstorms so we couldn't go out on the trail. I did meet the horse I would have ridden though. His name is Red. He doesn't like ANYONE near his stall but once he's outside of it he's fine. Linnea said that he's really fun to ride. Also my trainer brought her horse, Moonshine! I've missed him. He was one of my four-legged partners in crime. *I had many* But anyway, Linnea asked if I was free any day this week after school to come ride. SO i'm going for a lesson on Thursday. : ) It turns out I forgot to tell Linnea that I was riding bareback on my friends horse when I was bucked off... She was not happy with me at that moment. She held her arm to my forehead and i was like "This is NOT a V8 commercial!" I thought she was gonna pop me in the head. SHe was like "I was just checking to see if you were sick!" (She thinks i'm weird anyway) But yeah it was the second day Count had been in NC and Liz wouldn't let me use my saddle so I had to get on bareback. Come to find out Count is TERRIFIED of a car driving slowly by. He bucked me off as soon as i got on. The pic is of me riding Count when we went to try him out. Had to drive 3 hours to go see him. Sooooo boring. ARggg. Oh well thats all i have to say.

School Next week

Sadly, school starts next week. I won't have much time to be online or ride : / . I will try to get on as much as I can. It's junior year this year. Ahhhh! So to get the year to somewhat of a good start, i'm going trail riding with my old/new instructor. Don't ask about the old/ new part, it's a long story that is really involved, to say the least. Anyway with school, I got my schedule recently.
It is as follows.

*1st Semester*

1st Period: Physical Science
2nd Period: Animal Science 2
3rd Period: US History
4th Period: Algebra 2

*2nd Semester*

1st Period: Biotech & Agriscience Research
2nd Period: English 3
3rd Period: Spanish 2
4th Period: Film Critique

So first semester will be harder for me than 2nd semester.
Anybody notice that i'm taking 3 science courses this year?
So anyway....i might post tomorrow. Depends on my day, meaning if i don't get killed by a horse.