Some Problems Are Not Problems At All

The latest problem?  Tessa wants to jump.  Tessa loves to jump.  The crabby pony that sucks back turns into a forward, rhythmical happy pony when you put down some ground poles and some cross rails.

At my barn, you don't jump outside of lessons.  I haven't asked why this is, but I think it has something to do with the arena not being very big and teenagers.  It doesn't bother me at all since I wouldn't jump without help right now anyways.  The only days that they do jump lessons are on Tuesdays and I can't ride on Tuesdays.  Argh!  So, I'm going to look for some books with good ground pole grids for us to work with.  Any recommendations?

The saddle fitter is coming out on Friday because my saddle isn't fitting the pony right.  This is probably because we ordered the saddle in March and then she went into full time training in April and May.  Her shape has definitely changed.  The saddle fitter is also going to bring out a jump saddle for us to try, just in case.  Then I will just need a Western saddle and I'll be set.  So much tack, so little money.....

Tessa also has a new buddy in the stall next to her.  There were three babies born last year at the farm (actually more than that, but only three of them belonged to our trainers).  Two colts and a filly.  Well, now that they're yearlings it's time to separate the herd.  So the geldings went off to grow up into little boys and the filly is stalled next to Tessa.  The filly is HUGE.  She's as big as Tessa already.  And Tessa loves her.  She keeps trying to stick her nose through the barns so she can touch the filly.  Poor Tessa will never get a baby of her own (at least not under my watch, she won't) but I think she'd make an excellent mother.  I have NEVER seen Tessa get angry with another horse.  She gets a little irritated at her current pasture mate, Prime, because he follows her around constantly.  But I can relate to that.  Nobody wants a needy boyfriend.

And finally, last night was my Monday lesson.  We did dressage and Tessa and I had one of our best rides yet.  I'm pretty sure it's because during the week we did mostly hunt seat and half seat riding.  I'm still on my quest to figure out where I'm gripping, so I'm doing a lot of half seat riding and then experimenting with being light in my posting and in my canter.  We worked on putting all my weight in the stirrups last night.  My thighs were burning, so I think that's a good thing.

When I went to hose Tessa off, she turned herself around in the wash rack again and backed out and got all flustered.  I have been using the wash rack on the opposite side of the barn the last two weeks and she's super good in that wash rack.  I don't know what it is about this other wash rack that freaks her out, but she's going to be spending a lot more supervised time in it now!

I'm so grateful that our problems this summer are not really problems at all.  I'm looking forward to seeing what we'll be doing this next year.