Free jumping, and p90x

I should have known, as it is always the case with horses, whenever you feel like things are getting too good to be true, you should assume its right and will soon go backwards.  Yesterday the mare was awesomely fantastic.  Today she was a terror.  She does NOT like being taken away from her fellow musketeers (the other two bay mares) and she was sure to let me know!  She screams, tosses her head, dances forward and back, and generally tries to make my life miserable.  All I wanted to do was put her bridle on, since I was planning to lunge and then free jump her.  Boy was that an ordeal.  She twisted and turned, and tossed her head whenever I got close to being able to pull the headstall over her head.  I put her in Buck's stall and it took even longer than I would have guessed.  She even double barreled in my direction more than once (kicked out with both back feet).  Not cool!  

After about 20 minutes of Aston and I arguing about the merits of wearing a bridle, we headed out to the ring on the lunge line - I win!  I let her play and run on the line, I'm not the type that minds playfulness on the lunge.  Once I had her all warmed up I unclipped the lunge and let her do her thing while my friend Brittany (a new AXiD girl!) set up the fences for her to free jump.



Of course while Aston is free from the evil lunge line she runs and bucks, twists and turns, jumps for joy and otherwise celebrates her freedom.  At one point she even found the biggest and wettest puddle and laid down for a good roll.  By that point I figured whatever, she can do as she pleases because I won't gain anything by getting mad at her.  Once the jumps were set I went to catch her and led her over to the chute.  I sent her through 4 times, and each time she jumped through carefully.  Yay!  Mare can jump.  She wasn't the least bit challenged by the 2' fence I had set, which makes me hope that she will be able to jump big fences eventually.  I think it shouldn't be a problem for us.  Looking forward to it!  Of course she is temperamental, has a huge attitude about how things should be done (her way) and isn't afraid to let me know, but seriously, would I have it any other way? No.

Tomorrow marks Day 1 (or Day 90?) of P90X.  I decided that I'm going to do the Lean version to burn the most body fat and really help my cardio.  There are several types of p90x, there is classic, double, and lean.  Each accomplishes something different but all are difficult 90 day programs to enhance fitness and burn fat.  Lean emphasizes cardio more than strength building so that you can build lean body mass. It won't be easy but it will be worth it.  I can't ask Aston to be fit and dedicated to a purpose if I'm not fit and dedicated to the same one.  Let's go pony, we can do it!

Here is the video of Aston free jumping - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yK4kIHlxrwE