Cant stop thinking about summer... :D

WOW! Sorry its been a long time sense my last post, seeing as how this is no longer a school required blog!
I have been busy, christmas was a blast, I got all the winter riding gear I need for my whole life, and I got a white christmas with my horsey. :D I was sick for most of our break, so I did not do much riding. Then I went off to NYC with one of my friends from Germany over new years, and that was SO much fun but I missed Lyra tuns even though it was only 4 days... shows my attachment. I got home yesterday afternoon, feeling a little excited that second semester is starting soon, and that summer is 6 months away!
I went out to the barn today, and rode Lyra for the first time in 2 weeks! She was so wonderful.... it was great! I love it when she feels like a million bucks! Also sense I have last blogged, I have started working out again, but not just running like I used to do, i mean REALLY working out. Going to the gym after the barn and before homework. It has been awesome, im getting stronger everyday, something I have missed. However, I have to say that working out is so boring I have no way to escape it, even listening to music does not always do it! I am so happy that I do a sport that is NEVER boring no matter what.
So, as you also know I am working all summer 2012 for Jessica Halliday at Highland Acres Equestrian Center, and I am SO looking forward to it. Jessica is currently down in Florida enjoying the winter riding and competing, something I can only dream of. Because school ends in 6 months, that means I have 6 months to make Lyra the BEST horse she can be, and the most prepared I can make her for her new job as a competing event horse. I cant wait to see what the winter brings, I hope its good :D
Sorry its been so long, talk soon!
-Ellie and her dreams of greener pastures... :D

Bad Jumping good Flat? what is this...>:(

I have to start out by saying that I had an amazing riding lesson on Lyra on Friday. She was SO SO good wow! We did Walk, Trot, Canter perfectly, and the whole lesson was just a huge success.
I left on Saturday morning with excitement in my heart, because Lyra had been good, and Isabel and I had Spring Tide horse show in MA that weekend! We stayed in a great hotel with a nice pool and had a great dinner of Polish food?! haha

Then the next morning we got to the show at about 7:20, watched the horses warm up, and so on. Then we got our horse draw, and I got a 14.3hh Morgan who did not like/want to jump or be there at all. I had a fine warm up on him, after the girl before me had almost fallen off because his jump was so funky! I went in, started my canter a little late, and got a decent chance and approach to the first fence. We got to it in the middle, and my position was prefect, and then he stooped, and crow hopped the fence! I lost both stirrups, and my nice position. The first fence was the first in a combination, so I jumped the second fence the no Stirrups! After that second jump, I was able to regain my balance and my stirrups, and we completed the course well, with only a early turn to the fourth fence. Because of our tuff ride, and that unfortunate draw, we did not place, which was crazy because I had never done worse then fourth... >:(

My flat class was much better however. I drew a wonderful paint horse that was a five year old, and he did a great job showing me off! We ended up second out of eight people, and I was so happy because not, after three shows, I have 9 points for Flat, and 7 points for jumping! I need to do well at our next two shows, but I think I will make it to Regionals this year! (: YAY! <3
tata for now(: -Ellie PS (I will have pictures later)

new excitements, new position, new determination.

York Equestrian Team had practice for the Middle and Upper School teams last night (Monday night). We had so much fun, and I rode Eddison who I am very familiar with! We had a great practice, and Stephanie and Kate finally told me that my Hunter Jumper position was great! I was so glad to here this news! However, I have to say that sense we practice this type of riding so much, and sense I have to work at it, my eventing or dressage position has gone down the drain on Lyra! Other horses I can still go back and forth, but for some reason when I have young horses that are in training I always revert back to my hunter position. We have another horse show this weekend at Springtide in MA, and I really hope I do better sense my position has gotten better, and my determination has only gotten more intense! I just really hope that come summer, I can kick those bad habits and compete in my world looking like an event rider and not like a hunter! Here are some pictures of the difference... (on right is my nice event position on the flat, and on left is what I have to do for the HJumpers haha) tata!

Score at Maryland Saddlery Consignment!

One of the many great advantages of being in Maryland for thanksgiving break, is that Hunt Vally is not far away, and with the surrounding towns being horsey, there are many wonderful tack shops. For years I have been doing all of my horsey shopping at the Hunt Vally Dover Saddlery, and Maryland Saddlery Consignment where they have everything from jumping vests to stirrups!

This trip however was different, because now that I am not strictly a Dressage rider, I can buy beautiful Grey Plaid show jackets for our Stadium phase, which makes me very happy. So, this morning that is what I set out to do! When I got the the tack shop I headed straight for the coats. After much searching, I found the perfect jacket for $35 dollars, that fit me like a glove! I was also able to get my hands on a very nice pair of Ariat Riding pants that had little ware and tare! They fit so well... and for only $30, I could not say no. Another purchase crossed off my list! And I also got to do some horsey christmas shopping! YAY! 

I got fat and now I miss LYRA!

Woahhh thanksgiving was amazing, but I really ate far too much food! Seeing family for a week in baltimore was very fun, but I am totally ready to come back to Maine and see my very missed poney Lyra (: We are moving to a new barn soon that has an indoor! There I will be training with Gretchen and Katrina to try and prepare for Lyra and I's 2012 eventing season that will be in MA! I am excited for this new chapter, but change makes me crazy so we shall see how this goes! Chao for now! I have to eat more pie (:

Volo Horse Show, and MeCTA Awards!

WOW! What a fun weekend! Isabel, Brit, my mom and I left for Jessica Halliday's Barn in Grafton MA on Saturday morning so that I could meet Jessica, and see the barn that I might be living at for the whole summer! It was way too much fun. I saw my favorite friends Zoe and Emily at the barn, and I rode a great OTTB that is going training level eventing.
After such a fun night, and afternoon, we woke up early for the Volo team IEA horse show at volo equestrian center. We had a great show. I got forth for the jumping, which was awesome, and sixth out of 9 people for flat which is pretty good because I stink at Hunter Jumpers so far HAHA!
Then when we got home I learned that our MeCTA team won second for the Team challenge and thats just so awesome! I am very proud of Jessie, Ashley, Grace and I for a great season and a wonderful team! (: GOOD JOB GUYS! <3

Pictures, Pictures, Pictures! (:

Last night, I had a moment of spending. I ordered Copper and I's Photo proofs from the two Competitions that we did this summer! We did Snowfields HTs and Fox-croft HTs where Bobbie Jo Greiner was taking wonderful pictures! All summer I have had 5 in mind that I wanted to get, and I bought them last night. They are all on facebook, and one of them is my profile picture! Bobbie gave me an extra picture because of her Halliday sale, so in my one-picture-with-six-pictures-in-it, there are six pictures!  This post is just to share them with ya, because I am really excited, so enjoy! BTW in the bottom two that are the red and white fences are copper and I at Fox-croft going Elementary because it was his first event this year! We did Snowfields at BN! (: