Clover Ledge Farm

Today I jumped Dreamy a bit, in preparation for our next horse trial on August 12.  I am very conservative with how much I jump her and how high; at age 21 she doesn't need any extra wear and tear on her joints.  Today I figured it was time to raise the jumps a bit (since BN is 2'7", which is pretty much the highest I will jump her).  Plus, we needed to school a skinny, since we had a run out at one as the second element of a one stride back in June when we last competed.  I shamefully admit I don't have short poles, so I had my dad cut one of my regular 10' poles in half.  I figured if we school a 5' skinny at home, the 6' ones at shows will seem easier.
She was great over the skinny vertical!  She wanted to hesitate the first time through (it was just a small 2'6"ish - though I never measured it) and when I put my leg on she overjumped it.  The next time through was much better, and then by the third time she jumped it like all the other wider ju…

Normally, I would do a separate entry for each of these four shows, but now that I am behind in my blogging, I admit I don't remember many specific details to write about!  ;-P  Plus, things were pretty much the same at each show.  Reva has been outstanding so far this year and I am really proud of her!  Our first Maine Horse Association (MHA) affiliated show this year was back in May.  We have since done four more...


Downeast Horse Congress - June 15-17
This is one of my favorite shows!  This year I was the dressage manager, so it was a bit more work than normal, but it was still a lot of fun.  We had lots of laughs and good times.  Reva was very tense in her first few classes and we had a few bucks, but the second and third day she was much better (and probably tired!!)  We couldn't seem to pull a blue, so it was a "bridesmaid" kind of weekend, but for a young (still sorta green) horse competing with much more seasoned horses, I was very happy!!  :-)

2nd W/T Pleasure,…

Reva has been coming along well in the canter.  We have been lightly lunging her in my weekly lessons.  We tried it a few times last fall and have again done it a few times this summer.  It has seemed to help her balance and confidence in the gait.  


This is her weaker lead, which I had been having trouble picking up.  But she has been picking up the right lead correctly on the lunge line and improving so much under saddle!!



Reva - right lead canter from Elizabeth Tewksbury on Vimeo.



And here is her left lead.  She is also finally not plunging and "dolphining" herself into the canter.  She is still a bit too fast, but we are getting there!  Under saddle I am starting to have a half halt in the canter, which is amazing!  Such a nicer gait when she rebalances and softens!



Reva - left lead canter from Elizabeth Tewksbury on Vimeo.



Progress is slow...but I am pleased!  The best training tool is TIME!  :-)  And at only six years old, we have plenty of time!!

I seriously almost peed myself...



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And a follow up...



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So, OF COURSE, I had to add one of these to my recent Smartpak order for free!  LOL!!!  :-D  The Beach Boys song kills me.  LOL!!


And yet ANOTHER!   Ah ha ha ha ha!!!  :-D  


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And PART 2!!!  


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Reva and I attended our second dressage show of the year back in June.  I am woefully behind in my blogging!!  Oh well!  Reva was again very well behaved.  We rode Intro A and B and she was a bit less tense through her back.  We had a good warm up and no bucking!  Yay!!  Overall, I am very pleased with how her relaxation improved, hence our scores!


Intro A - 68.2% and a 2nd place out of seven!
Yay!  We scored all 6.5s - 8s.  The 8 on our last centerline was pretty awesome.  The comment said "quite straight" and I was happy to see that since we have been struggling with straightness off the rail.  Our overall comment was "Well ridden.  Some unsteady connection today caused loss of elasticity to hand and curling neck."  That is spot-on, as Reva's biggest evasion seems to be curling her neck and getting behind the bit.  We are working SO hard on that right now.  In recent lessons she has really started to improve and keep a light connection with my hand, instead of …

I finally got around to downloading, uploading, saving, whatever the only video clip I got from the team penning clinic back in May.  Enjoy!



Team Penning Clinic 5.12.12 from Elizabeth Tewksbury on Vimeo.

While I have been doing a lot of showing this year, I feel like all I write about is showing!  But there is so much more to what I do with my horses than just that.  I figured it was time for just a general riding progress update.  Reva and Dreamy have been doing very well this year.  Reva has begun to really grow up and start showing great progress.  Dreamy, despite turning 21 years old (!!), is still happy in her work and in really good shape.  


Reva is a very sweet mare, and her early work with me was super easy because of her good temperament   She did the typical young horse thing, where as soon as the work began to be, well, actual WORK, she started to show a bit of attitude.  It really wasn't that bad, but it was obnoxious enough that I really prayed it was just a phase.  LOL!  She didn't want to bend, she didn't want to learn about half halts, and she would sometimes get herself into such a baby temper tantrum that some of our rides seemed counterproductive.  I woul…

Alright readers!  I have been hovering at 99 followers now for WEEKS!  The 100th person who becomes a follower will win a small (but fun!) prize!  And if I can get to 110, that person will win something even better!


C'mon readers!  I know some of you read but have not hit the "follow" button yet.


(Also, I apologize for the severe lack of posts...I have been having so much fun this summer that I have not made time to write.  I promise that will change soon!!)  Here is a pic from a show last weekend to tide you over.