Lead Changes, Dressage Lessons, and Saddles

We’ve had two more training rides since my last post, each one working on more then the last.  E has given me lots of homework to do, but each ride remarks on how much easier shes getting, and how she can really tell I’ve been doing the work needed with her.  That always makes me feel good, because I can be so unsure of myself and constantly second guess my riding.  Being in a private place, and not in a consistent program has been hard, but it’s moments like that that give me the confidence to know that I do in fact know what I’m doing.  Kind of. 

Exciting news: Libby now gets very clean, quiet, beautiful changes with E.  With me its another story, although to be perfectly honest, I’ve stayed away from the subject with her.   I feel like I might undo what progress we’ve made with her.  Silly I know, but I can’t help shake that feeling every time I think “maybe I should try some today”.

Stills skills

I did have a mini dressage lesson as well, which was super fun.  A friend of mine, S, is a young professional and I figured what better way to dip my toes in then to have a lesson and help out a friend at the same time.  We mostly worked on having Libby use her hind end and come up through her back, while staying relaxed through her topline.  Entry level dressage stuff.  Libby was a trooper though and really tried her heart out.  S was really impressed with her, and of course that made me feel like an awesome horsey owner again. 

So cute. Much shine.

Of course though while this was all happening I started to notice Libby was a little more sensitive in her back.  She’s using herself so much better now, and has come up through the withers a bit more, so I was starting to get nervous that the saddle wasn’t fitting properly.  I had the fitter come out and sure enough, Libby has outgrown the CWD and needs a true CWD wide tree.

Cue sobbing

So definitely no shows in the future as all extra funds are going to the saddle expense.  Of course selling mine will cover a lot of the cost, but not all. 

For sale

Please buy

Saddle porn

I’m still hoping though that I can show her a bit in the summer.  Which means that I need to renew my USEF and USHJA stuff.