Aravis is a good jumper

Aravis' first baby tooth!

I found this in her feed bucket this morning!! :) There's still about 4 or 5 left to go! :)

Saddle fitting

I did some saddle fitting today with the new saddle and pad. Aravis rounded under me but the saddle didn't put me on my balance point. I came home and made a shim so I'll try it out again sometime soon. I'm going to use my Wintec 17" for everyday riding. I'm going to use the new jumping saddle for special occasion jumping and the Wintec 16" for training over jumps. I'm really excited about this Parelli pad! 


Below: this is the pad



About: 

  o Evenly distributes the weight of the entire saddle tree
          o Improves saddle fit
          o Alleviates pressure points
          o Provides anti-slip performance
          o Protects the horse s back
          o Allows the horse's back to flex and move more freely
          o Allows the skin to breathe , and COOLS the horse through evaporative process.
          o Insures No pressure on the spine or its ligaments
          o Improves air flow and release of heat
          o Allows right and left balance for the rider
          o Improves the feel of riding by facilitating close contact
          o Improves the horse's comfort and performance

This revolutionary non-slip, (custom fit) pad is designed to work with most English saddles.  The baffled air cells (through micro-porous filters) inside allow the pad to fill gaps that occur between the horse's back and the saddle, providing optimum weight distribution and eliminating pressure points. 

The Theraflex Pad slowly reshapes as the horse goes from standing to moving thereby continuing to create a perfect interface between the moving back and the static saddle.

This pad's functional air cells are the same shape and size as the air cells of all of the English pads.  It is only the overall base material that is sculpted to fit the overall shape of our saddles for the sake of appearance, and to prevent the saddle flap leather from touching the body of the horse. It can certainly be used under other English saddles.  

Below: You know these camping pads? How they inflate through an air valve? 

Look at the picture of the saddle pad, see the air valve? There's a specially shaped air pad in the saddle pad that inflates! It really does help the horse move better... :) Cool, huh?

I think so... 

-Priscilla

I have a fairy-godmother

I had a great day yesterday!

I had a friend over that I met at the home-school group, she rides horses... but not horses like Cricket and Aravis! Mostly horses that want to buck you off, prance down the trails like maniacs, etc. You should have seen the look on her face when I told her to simply wiggle her finger to back Cricket away. When she got on a rode, I said she could sit back and wiggle her toes to stop Cricket and she said, "Seriously?". It worked.

We went to Rene's and looked through tack and clothes. Rene is my fairy-godmother.
This is what I came home with:

2 horse blankets
1 pair of front jumping splint boots
1 Parelli saddle pad (they are originally $300 but she's only asking $100)
1 Collegiate saddle (free with the pad, if it doesn't work out, I give it back to her. These saddles are usually $1000+ new, this one is in excellent condition)
A HUGE stack of really really cute and cool shirts that I love!
1 pair of English jumping reins
2 pairs of stirrups, safety and regular
1 pair of leathers

NOW you can see why she's my fairy-godmother!! :) I LOVE HER! (not just because she's so amazingly generous but because she's a REAL person, she's sweet and so kind!)

God has BLESSED me!  SO RICHLY!

-Priscilla

Beware: This is a horsie post

Aravis, (On Line, 45 mins) We played online in prep for riding, she was really great. I had a 'how interesting!' moment. I circled her one way and she was great, she had good rhythm. The other direction, it sorta fell apart, she made a lot of transitions, wanted to change direction, etc. I wasn't bad, I knew what to do. I just hung in there, stayed slow, friendly and consistent. :) It came together.
She also did a few steps of sideways in either direction! (clapping!) This horse is SO smart! She also did a really good figure 8 at the walk (level 1). :)


Aravis, (Freestyle, 45 mins) Rode follow the rail, indirect and direct rein--which she blew me away with the quality! She did full spins, they seem to come to her naturally- it's the quarter horse! :)


Cricket, (Liberty, 30 mins) We played at liberty and I got a lot of really light and connected responses. We weren't doing anything serious but she was great anyways!


That was the horse part of the day... The other part wasn't as exciting.. :) 


-Priscilla

Going places

I'm going on a trip to Paul's house (Colorado) from the 15th-21st! :) Super cool! 

-Me

neat word

col  (kl)

n.

A pass between two mountain peaks or a gap in a ridge.

I'm using this in my book, don't steal. ;)