# Equuestriaan's Photo Thread



## Equuestriaan (Nov 5, 2008)

May 13, 2009

Today was my last practice before the show this weekend! My goal was to just have a good time and not try to practice anything new. We warmed up and Dakota seemed to enjoy the openness of the outdoor ring and all the extra space.

Circle trot left









Trot right









Canter left









Canter right










Today for the jumping half of the lesson we decided to practice the course we will be doing on Sunday at the show, which is at our barn. I'm only jumping 2 feet in the show, so that's what we practiced.


First jump

















Diagonal line










































The pictures didn't turn out too well for the other two outside lines.

So after that, my instructor asked us if we wanted to jump the ominous wall, a solid wood jump 2'6'' high and 1' wide. I was all excited and agree to go first. I knew he would stop the first time so I was sitting back more as we approached, and then at the last minute I was so sure he would jump that I jumped up his neck:










The next thing I knew, his head went down and he ducked to the right, and I flew over his shoulder:










I was okay, it didn't hurt at all! So I got back on and did it again:










And again! (This is my favorite pic from today)










I'll post more pictures on Sunday night after my show! Hope it goes well! I have 3 jumping classes and 1 under saddle class! =D


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## MIEventer (Feb 15, 2009)

Great pictures! Thanks for sharing and best of luck at your show!


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## Fire Eyes (May 13, 2009)

_Awh. He's a cutie. Good job for getting back on! I hate when people don't, unless of course they can't! Good luck at the show._


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## ChingazMyBoy (Apr 16, 2009)

Good Luck at the show, good job for getting back on Im going to critique here: You and your horse look great


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## sweetphoenix06 (May 12, 2009)

nice picies your horse is very pretty


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## ohmyitschelle (Aug 23, 2008)

Great pics!!! Good luck at the show!!
x


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## Equuestriaan (Nov 5, 2008)

Thanks everyone! I'm so excited. XD It's a pretty laid-back show since it's just people from the barn but at least I won't have to deal with him refusing or freaking out at other horses like he did at the last show. And luckily, the wall isn't in my course!


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## ridingismylife2 (Nov 4, 2008)

great pics and GOOD LUCK!!!  

p.s. i wanna ride in jeans tooooo!  *lucky!!* We're not allowed to in my riding school! :'(


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## Equuestriaan (Nov 5, 2008)

ridingismylife2 said:


> great pics and GOOD LUCK!!!
> 
> p.s. i wanna ride in jeans tooooo!  *lucky!!* We're not allowed to in my riding school! :'(


Aww! Why not? I like it because I can just wear what I usually wear to school and don't have to change at the barn.


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## morganshow11 (Dec 19, 2008)

Just a little tip:

Try not to go over the pommel.

When your horse is landing lean BACK, not forward. Pic nine looks very good, and you are where you should be.

pic number six, you shoul dbe leaning back not forward.

But i think you are very good at jumping, oh and try to keep your legs forward.


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## Equuestriaan (Nov 5, 2008)

morganshow11 said:


> Just a little tip:
> 
> Try not to go over the pommel.
> 
> ...


Thank you for your comment but I said I didn't want critiques in this thread. I put the pictures I do want critiqued in a separate thread on the critique board, so if you want to critique, post it there.  I'm sorry if that sounds really picky but there are certain pictures I really like and sometimes I just like to enjoy the pictures without all the bad stuff popping out at me right away, which is why I usually give myself a day or so after I ride to feel good about myself before I put anything up for critique. XD


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## morganshow11 (Dec 19, 2008)

Oh sorry i did not read the discription(just act like i didnt say any of the ciritique stuff lol)


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## Equuestriaan (Nov 5, 2008)

No worries! Everything you said was true, just for future reference, pics I want critique on will be in the critique board. XD lol


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## Equuestriaan (Nov 5, 2008)

May 17, 2009

I had the lesson show last weekend! I haven't uploaded the pictures yet cause I have a ridiculous amount of homework this week, but I thought since I'm riding today I would go ahead and tell you all about the show so I don't get behind with my posting.

The lesson show was basically everyone from my barn and a few people who came from nearby barns. It was a pretty big event compared to what I thought it would be. Poor Dakota was used in almost every division, though! First I watched the 2'6'' people school. Some other girl fell off Dakota when they were schooling, but she was okay. 

I thought it was really weird how when the girls schooled, they all rode with their hands behind their knees! I know they were trying to get the horses into a headset or something, but they all looked kinda silly all hunched over! Anyways, Dakota didn't seem to mind.

First were the 2'6'' classes, which I filmed. Dakota went really well! After that he was ridden in a walking class by a little girl, so that was pretty much like a break before I rode him.

I had three jumping classes (2') and a flat class. The first jumping course was pretty bad... I got some awful distances, cut some corners, and didn't really have my head in the game. My division was pretty big so I had a long wait before I jumped again. We redeemed ourselves and took everything in perfect stride! I was really happy, so I yelled GOOD BOY!!! and gave Dakota a huge hug as we cantered around in a circle after our course. Everyone laughed! The third course was pretty good, too, but Dakota was tired and we added 2 strides into one of the lines.

For the jumping classes I got 3rd, 2nd, and 1st respectively!

Then we had our flat/hack class which was walk-trot-canter. Dakota went like a dream... until he stopped to POOP!!! That was a deal-breaker. We got 6th, but I was lucky to even place. XD

My mom did take pictures but I realized when I looked at them that my eq is absolutely HORRIBLE!!

Today, in my lesson, I'm going to really work on sinking my weight into my heels over the jumps. My mom will get pictures, so I'll try to get those + show pics up soon!


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## 1dog3cats17rodents (Dec 7, 2007)

Congrats! It sounds like you had fun!

I've got to say, I love the picture in your aavatar, those are some TIGHT knees on that horse!


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## Equuestriaan (Nov 5, 2008)

1dog3cats17rodents said:


> I've got to say, I love the picture in your aavatar, those are some TIGHT knees on that horse!


Haha thank you! His knees aren't usually like that, he was just very afraid of that particular jump... he thought the bumble bees painted on it would eat him if he didn't tuck his hooves waay up to his belly!


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## morganshow11 (Dec 19, 2008)

The horse in your avvitar sure has a nice tuck


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## 1dog3cats17rodents (Dec 7, 2007)

Well, it still makes for a great picture!

I can't wait to see your show pictures!

I'm not a very good rider, but even I can see you've progressed so much since the first pics of you I've seen


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## Equuestriaan (Nov 5, 2008)

Thank you so much dogscastrodents! That means a lot to me  you just made my day! I will definitely get those pictures up by friday night... darn homework. >.> Today I specifically worked on my leg over fences and I'm really happy with how I look in the pictures!


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## ridingismylife2 (Nov 4, 2008)

great thread! 
I wish i would have someone to take pics of me  
All i have are videos.

U've progressed sooo much btw! 


p.s. we're not allowed to wear jeans while riding because....well I don't know why! xD hahaha.... I wish we were allowed to though!


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## english_rider144 (Sep 12, 2008)

I"m allowed to wear jeans while I ride. Great pics BTW! I havent jumped a course in forever! Were allowed to wear jeans and just our hiking boots if we want to. Then again I work at my barn.


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## 1dog3cats17rodents (Dec 7, 2007)

Yeah, I know some barns that require breeches and tal boots, and other just require safe riding gear (as in PJ's and half chaps are fine, but no tennis shoes)


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## Equuestriaan (Nov 5, 2008)

I ride in PJs sometimes XD I just wear whatever I wore to school, unless I feel like wearing johds.


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## Equuestriaan (Nov 5, 2008)

May 20, 2009

Well today Dakota was still very tired from the horse show, even though he got Monday and Tuesday off. Mom didn't get any pictures of our trot because she was busy yucking it up with my instructor, but let's just say Dakota and I were pretty much a mess... not working together, all over the place. He absolutely REFUSED to bend. Even my instructor was surprised. Dakota trotted like a shopping cart with a broken wheel... every time I tried to get him bending, his nose would drift right back around to the outside. So I started getting frustrated and ended up just holding him reaaally tight with my inside rein. GAHH.

Our canter to the right was also really bad... I couldn't figure out how to sit to his canter yesterday. It was like every stride jolted me out of the saddle... like a truck with awful suspension.

Canter right:









When we cantered to the left, I decided to change how I was sitting. Instead of trying to sink my weight into my heels and use my heels as shock absorbers, I decided to just clamp my lower leg against his sides, keep my spurs and knees off him, and just let my seat post softly to his canter. AND IT WORKED! I was thrilled!!! Doesn't he look so much happier here?

Canter left:









So after that we jumped, and I decided to really focus on keeping my lower leg still and just behind the girth where it should be. I was really happy with how I did... I'd say about half the time my leg was where is should be!! I am still jumping ahead WAY TOO MUCH but that will be a good thing to work on in another lesson. Enjoy the jumping pictures!

The best pictures:


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## Equuestriaan (Nov 5, 2008)

Jumping ahead in these ones:









And some "daylight" moments (what my mom calls moments where you can see daylight in between my legs and Dakota's sides or in between my butt and the saddle  ) and OOPS! moments :










And last but not least, just an extra pic of us cooling out (I love everything about this picture) :









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## Equuestriaan (Nov 5, 2008)

Just want to add, sorry the font color got messed up. XD
I'll get the show pics up soon and look for some of the pictures above on the critique board in a day or so! No crit on this thread though  thanks!


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## Equuestriaan (Nov 5, 2008)

Alright guys, SHOW PICS!!!!
Just a few of the good ones because the others are kinda embarrassing XD


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## ridingismylife2 (Nov 4, 2008)

great photos!


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## Equuestriaan (Nov 5, 2008)

Hey guys! I haven't been able to post pictures recently because my mom didn't feel like bringing the camera two weeks ago, and yesterday it rained so we were indoors, and it's impossible to get good pictures inside. Anyways I thought I'd just give you guys a quick update and tell you about my last lesson, since it was a pretty eventful one.

We went out to the outdoor ring but right when we all mounted, it started to rain. There was thunder and hail in the forecast so we decided to move inside. Trotting and cantering went fine, but then right before we jumped, Dakota caught sight of three collies on leashes across the field, and it all went downhill from there.

Our indoor is open all around the sides so it's just like a roof, so Dakota could see right out. He stood there stock still with his head as high as it could possibly go, every single muscle tensed up, trembling. From what I've heard, Dakota has had a history of hating these dogs. They didn't really come near the ring, they just walked by, but he refused to move until they were out of sight.

Then, he wouldn't canter, because he kept trying to crane his head around to look at the dogs again, so I hit him with the crop and I nearly got thrown off when he bucked. When I finally got him settled enough to jump, he decided it would be great fun to tear around the course like a madman.

I decided to abandon my previous goal of trying to keep my heels down because I had more important things to worry about. Like getting over the jumps in one piece. Basically he ran around while I pulled on his face. I felt really bad for pulling so much but he kept taking off after every jump so I had a death grip, and then when he jumped I just threw myself into 2-point (exactly what I SHOULDN'T be doing!)

By the time I got off, I was just relieved to have made it through the lesson without falling. In addition to the bolting and the collies, he spooked at 2 birds.

As we were cooling out, my instructor started to turn the sprinklers on at one end of the ring to water down the ground or something. The sprinklers are like pipes that hang from the roof and spray down, so we just stayed at one end to cool out. But then, after we got off, I had just taken the reins over Dakota's head to lead him back to the barn when the second row of sprinklers went on.

You know the sort of hissing sound a sprinkler makes as it turns on? Dakota heard it and BOLTED for the open gate. We're talking like a flat out bolt. I thought that if I held onto the reins, he would trample me or drag me, but if I let go, he might sprint back to the barn or worse, get confused in his panic and run out to god knows where.

So I let him get to the end of the reins and then I just held on and he stopped and skittered around to face me. I walked towards him slowly to grab the rest of the reins but then he started freaking out again. He danced in circles around me all the way back to the barn, but we were both okay.

Needless to say, he seemed to be really spooky that day... >.>

Pictures next wednesday if the weather looks good!


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## Equuestriaan (Nov 5, 2008)

*June 10*

June 10

Today's lesson went so well! My flatwork goal for the lesson was to work on bending, and my jumping goal was to keep my heels down. I achieved both!

Trotting to the right, I couldn't get Dakota to bend. He decided it would be much more fun to run around with his nose out the whole time!


















































So then we walked, and I decided to try bending again just at the walk. He responded really well, and seemed to really understand what I wanted! So then when we trotted left, I could get him to bend without too much trouble! I rewarded him every time he bended with a huge pat.










Perfect bend! --










Some 2-point...










Then we trotted with no stirrups. We were fine at the sitting trot, but then we had to post, and I was so tired from all the bending that my legs were like noodles!


















After that, we cantered. We started out with no stirrups and I thought I was going to fall off because he kept trotting really fast instead of cantering. -_- That's why my spurs are kinda digging into him. But I finally got him to go. XD










Then we were allowed to pick our stirrups up while we were cantering so that was good.


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## Equuestriaan (Nov 5, 2008)

Cantering the other way:


















Right before he bucked --










Then we jumped! I was really happy with how we did -- usually when we have a good day on the flat, we do well in jumping too.


































We got some bad distances...

(lol at the horse on the side!)


















Some "daylight" moments...










And some jumping ahead...


















But overall, it was a very successful lesson!


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