Just started today!!

ya!! Hello, my name is Jennifer.... I have a Shoshone Indian Mustang... :) He's 5.... I turned 50 on Wednesday... yesterday my trainer came back from a long time working in another state. I sat on my horse yesterday for the first time in a very long time... he was so good, calm and receptive... I sat on him bareback, rubbed him, twisted on him, just dangling my legs, walking slow, my trainer leading him, I hung on a little to his long piece of mane, I even layed across his neck... :) ..... and that was my first bareback riding lesson.... so, I'm just getting started..... but I had a good good time with my horse;. we've been working on our relationship on the ground for 2 years and we've been together for 5 years... ... my birthday present to myself is going to be to learn to ride bareback like relationship trainer Ponyboy suggests... my back is sore.. and I only sat on him for 6 minutes... sad sad... gotta work out!! Always behind, but never giving up,

Jack Lalane, I need you!! :) JL

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Shirley on October 17, 2010 at 4:21pm

Hi Jen, I can't get your link either. Maybe somethng you can fix?
I hope so.
Sounds like u r having such a great time and Oliver too.
Love it!

Permalink Reply by Coopersmom_1958 on October 19, 2010 at 12:52pm

Congratulations!! I tried to sit and go for a walk on my boy and was slipping and sliding all over, he so narrow! Then I tried bareback on my friends well rounded gelding and had a hard time getting my legs to go around him!! Especially the prosthesis on the left leg LOL
Hopefully your back will start to feel better, I used to look forward to my riding lessons especially when my hips and back were paining. Just walking made me feel so much better.

Permalink Reply by Jennifer Lamm on October 19, 2010 at 12:59pm

do not ask me why in the zillions of photos I take these happen to be sideways because that I do not know... :)

Permalink Reply by Jennifer Lamm on October 30, 2010 at 12:39pm

wow, where there is something to say about training that is for sure.... my horse is so great... I'm so thankful I could have him trained now for the last 5 years... he is only 5 years old and he is being the best lesson horse I could ever dream of.... :) I rode yesterday on him for my fourth time..... 2 years ago when I rode him I couldn't get him to move and he was chewing on my boot... yesterday it was point and go.... omgosh, he's an amazing horse... I think when they try hard it is just such an amazing thing....

Permalink Reply by Jennifer Lamm on October 30, 2010 at 2:07pm

Permalink Reply by Jackie Cochran on October 30, 2010 at 2:50pm

It is so good seeing you ride!

Permalink Reply by Jennifer Lamm on November 1, 2010 at 11:48am

Hi Jackie... if that is what you call it, LOL!!

Permalink Reply by Jennifer Lamm on November 1, 2010 at 12:54pm

riding is interesting for me in how I learn..... every week during the critical part of my lesson as in when steve is being critical of me when I am so happy just to not be throwing up that I'm getting on a horse I let his verbage go in my head but I never do what he asks of me..... because shoot man he does not know if I can do it if I don't know if I can do it so forget it..... but.... I did video tape him the week before and how he rode my horse.... the main thing I learn from him is how to throw my arms forward so Oliver can just have his head and he can be on a loose rein..... that is why I wanted to ride him a little bareback first to just be sure that I could feel how his head moved because he does toss it... well I guess he is just so strong in his body that eventhough he has a great neck when he tosses that huge head I don't even feel it..... I am so happy in this photo that I am not looking at the back of his head, pulling in his face, and that my arms are outstretched...... and my horses head is just awesome here.... boy Steve has trained him so nice... but anyway, this week Steve was yelling in my ear to pick up a little speed Jennifer... those were his words..... this week I think I will be able to..... Oliver is very willing to try for me... that's why I don't want to be a jerk and pull on his face.... oh, and Steve said, "and you can't let him shut you down and stop when he wants to stop.." so right away this week we can start with that..... have him tell me exactly what I need to do to get him to move and then maybe we can pick up a little speed..... :)

Permalink Reply by Jennifer Lamm on November 12, 2010 at 2:43pm

omgosh so now I've got him moving forward on a loose rein, easy go go go...... and I just practiced looking where I am going.... and when I saw a photo of myself I was aghast.... my posture is horrible.... more improvements for next lesson!!

Permalink Reply by Jackie Cochran on November 12, 2010 at 5:00pm

Hey Jennifer.
Don't worry, it will eventually come. The cure for being a beginning rider is hours and hours of riding, hopefully with both good instruction, and, when you feel secure enough, practicing on your own.
I get the feeling that part of the problem with your hands is that the horn on your saddle gets in the way. I think you know this, and this is why you want to ride bareback. You might want to look into longer reins if you stay with the horned saddle if you are riding one-handed.

Permalink Reply by Jennifer Lamm on November 12, 2010 at 5:21pm

I wanted to ride bareback when I felt I had that much trust in my horse.... :) I feel like I can ride him by myself... I am not scared of him at all.... although Steve told me of a scary story yesterday when he was riding him and the neighbor dog flew into the arena at top speed, scared Oliver and Steve was riding him and called it "ugly" and my neighbor was apologizing to me this morning profusely, I am not trusting of outside influences, but I do trust my horse at this point... ..... Here is Oliver in the explanded classroom with more and more things to get used to, thank goodness for his trainer who called it a welcome opportunity but apparently I would probably have been killed if that happened while I was riding him alone yesterday.. he bucked and everything... ..... but you are right, IT WILL COME!! and I'm still here to tell the tale huh girlfriend? My saddle is comfortable and my reins are long..... it was a pyschological reason for riding bareback because ponyboy said that really really trusting is when you can ride with no tack... but even with my tack I am asking him to be super soft and not thinking too much about my tack but trying to get the feel of him.... and my posture is awful but I'm in the saddle and look like a lowrider... :) LOL...