Riding Lesson 9/15/05
Sep. 22nd, 2005 11:15 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
blueeowynYes, more Lesson Geeking
So, Mom and I get to the barn and get herself ready to go. I am given yet another new (to me) saddle to try on Echo. Ni and I chat for a bit and she wants to know a bit about Echo and I am not at all against talking about my baby. Eventually, I get all the parts assembled (boots on the right legs, stirrups from my saddle, pads from my saddle and the trunk, the borrowed saddle, and a girth from the office because the first one went to the 4th hole on the right side with no pressure. *sigh*
So, we go in the ring and I start to lunge her and she is a little hot but settles well when I insist on it. So, I ask Peter if I should flip her (go the other way on the line) or get on. He says to get on because it is HOT and steamy and there won't be much energy in her if we don't get going.
So, off we go to the mounting block, she stands next to it (not in the perfect place but not bad) and so I hop on. This is the first time we have done this without Peter holding her head. Definitely NOT one of my more graceful mounts but I am up and off we go. The stirrups are a weird length for the saddle so I am trying to get her to stand still so I can adjust them and standing isn't in her vocabulary at the moment. Uh oh.
Eventually we walk a bit and I ask her to trot and she goes. And goes. And GOES. AND GOES. I am trying to slow her down (trying to set up, sit deep when posting, slow my post, tug and release with the reins, talk to her, etc.) and it isn't working. Not even a little bit. OK, it does work a little bit but only for about 3 strides. Peter finally tells me to leave her alone for a bit and let her work herself out of it. Now, we are trucking along a the trot like she is trying to win a trotting race. Fast and long is the trot. Eventually, she finally considers slowing down so we go the other way (her bad way) and off we go again (though it doesn't take as long).
Maybe I think too much and I was worried about the new saddle (being still sore from the previous one 2 weeks earlier). Maybe I was too worried about her being 'looky' at the door. Maybe I was in a mood. Maybe she was in a mood but we were rather impressively not in synch with one another.
The good news is that she seems to like the new saddle and it doesn't hurt me AND I can get in the correct position in it without a fight. So, since the owner has more saddles than he knows what to do with, I will be using this one for awhile to see how it goes and possibly look for one like it for myself. The other good news is that she and I both came through it just fine and we did eventually get a good, solid, workman like trot.
Peter said I would hurt the next day and I was sore, mostly the abdominal muscles which is probably a good part to be sore with.
So, Mom and I get to the barn and get herself ready to go. I am given yet another new (to me) saddle to try on Echo. Ni and I chat for a bit and she wants to know a bit about Echo and I am not at all against talking about my baby. Eventually, I get all the parts assembled (boots on the right legs, stirrups from my saddle, pads from my saddle and the trunk, the borrowed saddle, and a girth from the office because the first one went to the 4th hole on the right side with no pressure. *sigh*
So, we go in the ring and I start to lunge her and she is a little hot but settles well when I insist on it. So, I ask Peter if I should flip her (go the other way on the line) or get on. He says to get on because it is HOT and steamy and there won't be much energy in her if we don't get going.
So, off we go to the mounting block, she stands next to it (not in the perfect place but not bad) and so I hop on. This is the first time we have done this without Peter holding her head. Definitely NOT one of my more graceful mounts but I am up and off we go. The stirrups are a weird length for the saddle so I am trying to get her to stand still so I can adjust them and standing isn't in her vocabulary at the moment. Uh oh.
Eventually we walk a bit and I ask her to trot and she goes. And goes. And GOES. AND GOES. I am trying to slow her down (trying to set up, sit deep when posting, slow my post, tug and release with the reins, talk to her, etc.) and it isn't working. Not even a little bit. OK, it does work a little bit but only for about 3 strides. Peter finally tells me to leave her alone for a bit and let her work herself out of it. Now, we are trucking along a the trot like she is trying to win a trotting race. Fast and long is the trot. Eventually, she finally considers slowing down so we go the other way (her bad way) and off we go again (though it doesn't take as long).
Maybe I think too much and I was worried about the new saddle (being still sore from the previous one 2 weeks earlier). Maybe I was too worried about her being 'looky' at the door. Maybe I was in a mood. Maybe she was in a mood but we were rather impressively not in synch with one another.
The good news is that she seems to like the new saddle and it doesn't hurt me AND I can get in the correct position in it without a fight. So, since the owner has more saddles than he knows what to do with, I will be using this one for awhile to see how it goes and possibly look for one like it for myself. The other good news is that she and I both came through it just fine and we did eventually get a good, solid, workman like trot.
Peter said I would hurt the next day and I was sore, mostly the abdominal muscles which is probably a good part to be sore with.
no subject
Date: 2005-09-23 04:42 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-09-23 01:48 pm (UTC)I am so glad that given the Hambletonian Trot that I was NOT in the saddle of 2 weeks earlier. I think if that had happened I would either have not been able to walk for the next several days (bad) or forgotten that important rule about keeping the horse between you and the ground (worse).
Hmm, wonder if the owner would be willing to sell me the saddle for a reasonable price. ... hmmmmmm