This was my last lesson at Five Star Ranch with Cooper. I have learned so much in the short time we have been riding together there. I will miss the lessons on him but it was getting too much driving there on a work night and putting gas in my truck.

I moved him to a new barn yesterday that is 15-20 minute drive from home. There are no trails but that is ok as I am not that interested anymore in doing that. I hope to be able to see him more often and not dread that long drive all the time.

In the lesson tonight we worked on getting the front end to lighten up and raise the withers. Instead of Coopers front feet falling with a thud thud we were to get them softer, softer. I had a hard time feeling the difference but the coach could see it from the ground and she would tell me to release the rein.

I did some giving to the bit work on the ground and hip shoulder shoulder before getting on him. I hadn't been up to see him since our last lesson and he was such a good boy. He did a itty bitty jump on the ground when I asked for a faster trot around me and that was all. Very good for a young guy.

The coach had to keep telling me to bring my shoulders down and back, I hunch them up a lot. Also to try to lengthen my legs and stop pulling them up into that fetal position.

We also did some turn on the haunches and turn on the forehand. I was having a hard time with the prosthetic so we worked on a steady bump bump on his side to get him to move his hip over for turn on the forehand. He is doing really good with the turn on the haunches. 

Just have to keep practicing.

Another lesson tonight and I will be using one of the lesson horses. 

I will miss taking lessons with him but I will be taking all I learn on a lesson horse and practicing with him.

I have 4 lessons left this month and I won't be signing up for the winter. I have a lot to work on with him and we are going to go back to some of the ground work exercises that he is not very good with. I hope to be in able to take lessons again in the spring or summer, but I think this time I will try to go into a level class on a Saturday and try to get my Level 2 Western Riding.

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Comment by Jackie Cochran on December 1, 2011 at 1:53pm

I'm glad you found a more convenient home for Cooper, you'll see him more, yeah!

I have fallen in love with lesson horses.  The ones I ride demand perfection, but when I get it right they are very generous with their correct response.  Plus maybe they won't shy as much.

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