Grumpy!!

Haha...so anytime I can't ride as much as I need to, inevitably...grouchy Tosha always comes alive. I can't help it! Though riding is my life, as of now it is not the part of my life that makes me money, and the money-making part of life sometimes needs to take a priority. I know this but don't like it. So this past week Reg and I have had 3 DAYS OFF!!! Ugh it just kills me. This is the most days off we've had in a long time. Usually one suffices for us just fine, two if I have to. We function better on this schedule; with too much time off Regal gets stuck in a lazy funk. My trainer always has wise words for me, and saw my frustration in our lesson earlier this week. Her advice was just to take an easy week and hack around, since I would be no good to Regal all stressed out and with no consistancy this week. We coursed a little on Wednesday, worked on our turns and my hand/body position, but other than that Regal and I have been taking an easy week. I guess its not too bad, we have been working really hard lately. Just trying to be super prepared for Twin at the end of September, and starting to get antsy because I really want to get out and go somewhere. A truck and trailer are in the long term plans. It would be nice to be able to haul me and Regal wherever we wanted, even to go to the lake for a day and trail ride around. All I can think about it getting off work today so I can go see my baby Regal, because at the end of the day, though I put all these pressures and hopes and dreams on Regal and myself, I'm just a girl and he's my horse, and I would love him dearly no matter what :)

Routine

Regal and I have just been truckin along lately. Stuck at a plateu it seems. Everything has been great! I can just feel that we are now comfortable with what we're doing and its time to step it up once again. We had a really full week, and are both going to enjoy our only day off tomorrow...(well, Regal's day off. I still have to work 8 hours haha). Finally put the stirrups back on my dressage saddle after about three weeks, went for a condition ride during which I did not fall off- an improvment from a week ago, and jumped through a nice sized grid and got Regal to quit twisting as much over the fences. Successful week I think!! Today I got my entry ready for Twin, and I am so excited!! Feeling pretty good so far about going out at Training again. Bummed because tomorrow Don Sachey is coming out to clinic at the facility where I ride and I'm working all day!! Ahh oh well. Next time I guess!

Too Good For Words!!!

I have been too busy to write much lately, but have so much to say!! As of two days ago, I have a sponsor!! It is a personal sponsor who would like to remain as anonomous as possible, but I will just say that she is an amazing woman who is giving Regal and I a one in a life time chance. Our major goal has been just to make it to a CCI* to be able to gain a good record to find large sponsors; but the road even to a one star seems incredibly long and all uphill when your looking at it from where we were. Now, with the help of our sponsor we are shooting for our first CCI* in about a year. We'll see how it goes!! I would never do anything to endanger Regal or myself, so obviously if we are not ready to move up we won't, but with his talent just waiting to tapped into, I can't wait to see what we can do with this chance to get out on a regular competition calander!!

Next event: Twin Rivers Fall H.T. at the end of September. Going out Training again, and we are feeling pretty good but have a lot of work, like always. Our dressage is really shaping up, and I have been on a crazy no stirrups kick for about two weeks now. My stirrups are collecting dust in the tack room, and I might keep it that way for a while. My sitting work is getting exponentially better, and my leg feels better than it has in ages. Haven't really been jumping a ton, no need to. We know Regal can jump...though last time we did school over a nice sized grid we left his boots off, and surprise surprise...he didn't touch a thing ;) haha.

Today my team left for Woodside, and I am bummed I'm not there. But I know I have Twin to look forward to, and a ton more after that!! Its hard to be bummed out by anything lately with that at the back of my mind.

We went out for a nice change of pace today and schooled some banks, ditches, and water at our home course this morning. Of course it wasn't hard for Reg and didn't even phase him, but he looked happy to be out there splashing and cantering around. Happy days and hard work ahead!!

Ouch.

Ok so starting my day with a nice reminder from gravity before 9:00 this morning was not what I had in mind. Maybe the cosmos thought I was forgetting their power or something. Just out for a condition ride with Regal, and there so happens to be a cow in one of the pastures off to the side near a hill we go up. Regal hates cows. He hates the sound, look, smell, and presence of a cow. Did I forget to mention that Reg has also perfected the art of the spin? I tried to keep his head locked down to his left side so he couldn't even see the cow or make a big deal about it. But no. I stayed on the first massive spin and marched him back up the hill to go past the cow again. The next time he got me, and not only did he look at me laying there on the ground, he then proceed to take off, leaving me to walk back to the barn. I found my innocent baby munching on some grass and making new friends with the horses in their stalls. He knew he was in trouble!! I worked his butt for the next hour up and down hills, and past that damn cow a million times. If he has the energy to spin me off and take off running and bucking, he can muster up the energy for a harder condition. Overall, it ended well. We had a great workout...and he went past the cow no problem :) The fall wasn't even that bad, though as the day goes on my neck continues to stiffen up...ugh. Hello icy hot, arnica cream, and a hot shower.

Just Another Day

Had a great lesson this morning. Just a nice little jump around with a grid thrown in. The grid was a vertical two strides to a vertical, one stride vertical, one stride oxer. Nothing seems big anymore. Regal just floats along over everything, and it was really nice because I could feel our dressage work paying off over fences today!! He was much more up and he wasn't close to any of the rails (could also be because I left his boots off today...hmmm haha.) It was incredible, he's come so far!! Went through and made an ideal event calander for the rest of this season and next season. Realized how much everything costs for the millionth time, but I'm determined to make it work it.