February 23 2013 Lesson # 23

Hello :)

This week went very well, I rode Dandy and we are starting to work well as a team!!! He has not recently been bolting, and he doesn't spook very much with me now. I am very glad I got the chance to ride him because he has taught me a whole heck of a lot. Heels down, eyes up, push on :) that's the rule with him. Our instructor sort of spooked him a bit today he just stopped and side stepped, looking at her all wide eyed. I just looked ahead and kicked him forward because really that is what he needs when he second guesses himself!

What we did:

• Flexion at walk
• Flexion at trot
• Trot rising and sitting without stirrups
• Warm up jump across diagonal
• 5 jump course
• 3 jump course (second time around)

We had a jumping lesson this week, with the 5 jumps, and then because of time constraints my instructor had to cut down the course to only 3 jumps. It was still fun though. Dandy was calm over all of the jumps, and we worked well together. Not once did i truly lose control of him. I had a couple of problems with keeping my heels down but other than that we did a good job together. He is such a sweetie with me and I can see why someone would buy him now (I couldn't before for obvious reasons)


I also got the chance to ride for a second hour on Spud (who i used to rise when I started jumping) There is a class after mine that I help to volunteer with, and usually I just help teach/assist. This time only one of the students had showed up so me and my friend got to get up on the horses and go for a nice relaxing ride :)

I had to show the students a couple of times where to go, and I led them around a couple of serpentine then we got to trot around! At the end of the lesson the students got to go bareback on lead. Being older and more experienced etc. I got to get on and ride bareback which I haven't done for a really long time! Spud is really smooth to trot bareback and I barely slipped around at all. I was allowed to mount and everything all on my own too which was fantastic. Then we got to groom the horses and help out and go home :) I also have a private lesson tomorrow which I will tell you about at a later date!

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