Boot Camp

So Nova started boot camp on Saturday. She's on her 23rd ride, and boot camp started on her 20th. Each session includes a different pattern/ obstacle. Each session is completed by a photograph after the work out, before being hosed down. This is so that we can judge the sweat on my little filly, and see how tough the work out was. Of course some workouts are more mentally challenging than physically challenging, thus less sweat will appear. Here are the photos, and sessions thus far.

Taken Saturday 11/3/2012
This work out was a lot of trotting and loping, and a little hand galloping under saddle for the first time.
We also started working on the barrel pattern, just walking it. She is very obviously exhausted. Also that dirt spot on her hip never goes away. I hose it off of her every day, and it almost always reappears the next day. Even worse, she doesn't have any water spots in her stall, she does have a pee spot from the horse next door... Yes, that's not just dirt, it's a pee pee stain.

Taken Sunday 11/4/2012
What a tough ride for us both. There were lots of people in the arena, which is so challenging for her. Nova just wants to check everyone out and not listen. We also started trotting the barrels! She did great. My super smart little filly.

Taken 11/6/2012
This was the first scary ride I've had on her. I rode her with running reins, trying to get her to collect a little, as she paddles out when she trots sometimes. So frightening. She would get super sketchy, balking, throwing her head up, and acting like she would rear. It was terrifying. What's confusing to me, is that I lunged her a ton with her head tied down, and she was fine. Suddenly she's started this "I'm going to rear" thing. I am not loving it. It happens when she throws her head up, and feels the pressure on the reins, she freaks out, and tries to out muscle the bit by throwing her head up. I don't think she's doing it to be bad, but I think it's a fearful response. I got a quick work out done, and then bailed, the majority of this session was lunging.

Taken today, 11/7/2012

Today the focus of out work out was ground poles. Lots and lots of ground poles. I think I lined up about 7, at trotting distance. We walked them a lot first, and then we tried trotting over she was a mess the first couple of times. She finally smoothed out though. I could really feel her lifting herself, and I loved it. She was working her body, and I could feel it. That's the type of riding that I love.

Also on the list of more sessions:

~Trotting and loping circles
~Introduction to side passing
~Roll Backs
~Backing up (gotta build up that booty!)

Once her toosh is nice and strong she'll be learning slide stops. They should come pretty naturally to her as she has a great stop already.

Today an adult friend at the ranch asked how old she was. When I told her 3 she almost didn't believe me! She thought that Nova was 5 or 6 because of how mellow and well mannered she is. I am so in love with my filly!