Yesterday, I gave Bella Benedict another riding lesson on Gunny. This wouldn't be so significant, after all I teach horseback riding lessons for a living. But Belle is just 6 yrs old and she has to clean corrals to EARN her own lessons. Her family is Very tight financially, so I offered Belle a chance to join the 'work to ride' program. She works Hard to earn enough credits to get to ride.



So, this was her 3rd lesson, and we worked on developing a SMOOTH whoa - a nice easy slow pull…

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The Monday before last I had a lesson with Madeleine Austin. She is a very talented dressage rider and trainer and the mother of another very talented dressage rider and trainer. In my lesson we worked on my very tight hips and ankles. I did many tours of the arena stretching my legs out and back one after the other. It did help loosen my hips up. I am thankful for the very quiet school horse I was on during this, since…

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My darling Maggie has been in some intense training of late, with me riding on weekends and her getting training during the week. She's progressed to long lining and it's going quite well. So, then it's up to me to keep everything moving forward, but I hadn't had a lesson in weeks. Now that doesn't seem like a long time, but really, we're trying to move forward and I don't want to be hindering progress.

So, last night, I rode and had a lesson. I KNEW IT, I was NOT riding quite…

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Feeling pretty good today. I got two nice comments from fellow barnmice. Those kind of comments help put things into perspective without being discouraging. Thanks ladies!

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I had a western riding lesson today. I guess it wasnt exactly a riding lesson as much as it was tips and help with getting the most out of Harley. My plan is to use him next year as my gymkhana horse. I had wanted to use Bentley but my western trainer thinks that his conformation will cause him problems when I really start to push him for speed. Im bummed about this. I dont want to do anything to Bentley that… Continue

We had a clinic this past weekend with a very good clinician we've ridden with before. This week hasn't been all that great, Maggie dumping my trainer and all that, but, I expected a good ride. Now, we've been working on the trot with the girl, less on the canter. But, we were doing great, walk (quit moving so much), trot (softer and wait in the transition), and then the left lead canter, quite nice, developmental, but nice. Unfortunately, the right lead canter is not so good, so more right…

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So last night was my ridding lesson.



It didn't go ahead.



I was home suffering with a cold, when a hurricane hit. Now see, the wind wasn't much of a problem. It was the rain. If the rain had been snow, then it would have been fine. But no-where here is built to handle that much rain. So obviously, my lesson did not go ahead. The horses should be fine, I haven't heard any report from any barns in my area that have flooded and horses needed to be moved. Besides for the race… Continue

So, last night Maggie and I had a lesson. We were outfitted with the running martingale, which is working well, although it got adjusted a bit tighter. Beauty of the running, it only engages when you need it and it doesn't help you actually ride your horse or get it round. It also takes away Maggie's favourite game of throwing her head in the air and doing whatever the hell she really wants to do... always a bonus.

 

So, we warmed up and then out comes the longe whip. Now we're…

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Lesson went well Frankie is starting to respect my inside leg on circles and ease off it.

I learnt if I open my rein a little before I start to ask for bend he understands and can get his big ol' butt to come in.



Frankies Plan:

I ride Frankie 5-6 times a week so he's in top phys. condition and out of those rides two are lessons.

Heres my plan to get ready for show season:

Warm up: 1 way around on rail at walk both directions,

2 at trot both directions on the… Continue