Tenth Lesson

Lots of pictures from this week, I'm not going to post them all here, so see them here instead.

I got to ride Gretsky today. The woman who normally rides him showed up when I was just finishing off, and Anna told her she could ride Domino instead. Today was mostly about getting used to riding a horse other than Kaibab (who was picked up at 1:30 am Monday morning... or does that still count as Sunday night?). Gretsky is very curious about what is going on around him. It's a little hard to keep his attention, as he'll see a couple walking their dog down in the river bed, or Pia in a tree, or someone taking pictures, or a bird, and forget to listen to the person on his back.

Apparently I'm quite lucky, as Gretsky only just got used to Pia climbing trees. Although I guess it was her coming out of the tree that really concerned him (it's raining dogs!). He was wary of dogs and trees, especially in close proximity to each other, for weeks after Pia's first tree climbing adventure. I believe the tree climbing pictured above occurred before Pia got to finish off Anna's coffee (that's right, the dog climbs trees, drinks coffee, and even climbs into buckets to sit in the water when she's hot).

The box from last week was still there, though this week we didn't try to do anything other than walk and trot through it.

Speaking of trot, Gretsky's is a dream compared to Kai. He's actually so smooth at a trot, I was noticing I had to work to keep posting. With Kai, your butt hits the saddle, and he's so bouncy, you're half way up again before you realize it. With Gretsky, I think I could have comfortably sat his trot the whole time. Almost no bounce at all.

No lesson next week, as Anna will be gone. Guess I'll have to find something else to do at 6:30 am on a day off... maybe even *gasp* sleep. :)

Boxing Kai

Kai wasn't in Alabama yet. Apparently everything's done from Anna's end, now she's just waiting on the haulers to call and say they're picking him up. Since that wasn't likely to be at 6:30 am on Saturday, I got to ride him again.

Today Anna made a box out of poles on X.

The first lesson was to walk into this box...

And stop, within the box. Which actually turned out to be quite easy, as Kai is always quite eager to please with his stopping.

Since that went well, we got try the next exercise. We were supposed to trot into the box, slow to a walk within the box, and trot out of the box. I think I was concentrating too much on actually getting at least a stride of walk, as it turns out, this was supposed to be my introduction to the half halt. I don't think the actual walk was important, just that stage right when the horse is going back to walk, as soon as I got that, I should have been trotting again.

And here's Gretsky being ridden by the lady who rides him while I ride Kai. I learned something from her when she walked past us when I was grooming Kai to get him ready. She often has a small treat for him in the morning, and today that treat was a piece of watermelon rind. I had no idea horses liked watermelon!

Farewell Kaibab

No pictures from today. I rode Kaibab again, but he’s leaving on Wednesday to spend a year in Alabama, so I won’t be riding him again for a while. Not sure who I will be riding next week, and someone usually rides Gretsky while I’m on Kai… Oh well, there’s still Wild Thing and Ikarus, and maybe Domino for the other lady.

More work on the 20 meter circle today. I must have been doing ok, because Anna threw in a serpentine change of direction. Two half 10 meter circles through the middle of the 20 meter circle, and you’re back on the bigger circle going the other way. Thing is, at trot, half a 10 meter circle is really small.

“Remember, Cross Your Heart… lift and separate,” was Anna’s reminder to keep my shoulders back. She also pointed out that I was one of the lucky ones, I could have correct posture without leading with my bust... Score for the flat chested women.

When I was done, and giving Kai his post-lesson groom, Anna's next lesson arrived. A little girl, maybe 7 years old. She wasn't even going to ride the pony either, they brought out Wild Thing.

Mounting block

Anna's horses are big. Kaibab, Gretsky, Domino, and I think Ikarus are all around 17hh. They're big horses. Apparently, this causes a lot of problems for Anna's other students, at least in mounting. Saturday morning as I contorted my body to be able to get my toe in the stirrup, Anna (from the other side of Kaibab, holding the other stirrup leather so the saddle wouldn't slip), said, "I should video tape you mounting to show to my other students."

Toe finally just resting in the stirrup, I hopped a couple of times before lunging forward and up.

"To show it's possible," continues Anna.

Pulling with my arms, I manage to get up, and swing my right leg over the saddle. I'm on.

"With minimal effort," concludes Anna.

I look down at her like she's crazy. "I wouldn't call that minimal."

"There was no grunting or groaning... That was minimal."

So yay, I can mount a 17hh horse from the ground, with minimal effort, and none of Anna's other students believe it's possible.

I wondered why there were so many mounting blocks around.

Riding Solo

Today, I was on my own! Check out Kai and me, sans longe line! More pictures from today can be found here.

This lesson had a lot of walk and trot, and transitioning between. Going from trot to walk turned out to be very easy. Whenever I stopped telling Kai to keep trotting, I was back at a walk. Basically, ever time I decided, "I'll ask for walk right up there..." I was already walking.

Lots and lots of trotting today. My calves hate me now. We also did some 20 meter circles... ok, calling them circles may have been a little generous.... how about 20 meter ovals, eggs, diamonds, and various combinations of those shapes.

I do need to work on my posture and position. Every so often I would remember, and correct myself, shoulders back, sit up straight. And 2 minutes later I would be hunched forward again.

At the end of the lesson, I got to walk Kai around the property. Just walking wherever I wanted to go. I got to watch the guy on the grey horse who always has a lesson in the main dressage arena at the same time as I do on Saturday. I got to ride a bit on the trail that circles the stables, and go up and down tiny little hills.

Anna did say I was doing quite well. I was pretty pleased that even with all the trotting, I wasn't pulling on the reins to balance (after all those blisters from pulling on the little strap in front of the saddle, I was a little worried about that).

Anna's Horses

My instructor Anna has 5 horses and a pony. The pony is Smokie, who shares a stall with Wild Thing. Kaibab stays in the stall opposite them, and Gretsky is next-door to Kai. Next to Gretsky is the horse Anna rides in competition, Domino (I don't get to ride Domino until I'm really good). Across from Gretsky and next to Wild Thing and Smokie, is Ikarus. He looks a lot like Gretsky, and I think he might be the horse who gives Gretsky all his scars. I'm hoping I'll get a chance to ride him sometime.

I don't know which horse I'm going to get to ride (with reins!), on Saturday. I'm half expecting the pony, or maybe Wild Thing (who apparently much prefers the bareback pad and halter to a saddle and bridle). I know Gretsky is ridden by other (presumably more advanced), students, and Kaibab has been ridden in competition by Anna and her student(s). I'm kind of expecting her to put me on a horse she doesn't mind me being heavy handed with... at least at first, which is why I haven't ruled out the pony. Smokie and Wild Thing are also a lot more docile than the other horses, leading me to believe they may be a little more forgiving of mistakes I may make when I'm actually in control.

Riding Lesson 6

I got to ride Kaibab again today, and next week, Anna says I get the reins. Finally! :)

Pia was back this week, and hard at work ridding the stables of whatever lurks down those holes.

Today I got to stand up a lot... it's a lot harder than it looks. Balancing when you have a moving horse between your legs is not easy.

Kaibab was not too happy with all the trotting today. He eventually decided to go for a little canter instead. Anna complimented me afterwards for having a good seat. Apparently, I hung on well. :)