What a Difference a Day Makes

Happy, Happy, Joy, Joy, I LOVE my horse (again). I was on the right track yesterday, the problem is me, doh. Last night I head to the barn to audit some lessons, but due to poor communication on my part I realize WE'RE in the lesson line up. Cue the butterflies.

I had some reservations about taking a lesson with Megan at this point. She's not doing enough yet and doesn't have enough endurance/attention span to last for more than about 20 minutes under saddle. I don't mind paying for an hour and only using a 1/2 hour but I really don't want to push her at this point. Thankfully, this instructor got that. It was really good timing to get a program check and to fix the issue I was having with her head disappearing to her chest.

So we start off with lunging and I show our routine. Got a few suggestions for advancing the ground work and asking different things and a timely reminder to be consistent in the voice aids. Then I hopped on and we started at the walk with a cooperative pony. Into the trot where the key nugget was delivered and voila birds began to sing and music began to play and all was well with the world. The key nugget you ask? Fix me of course. I was being too giving with the reins and confusing her. Megan wants contact; she wants a place to go; she likes the side reins and I was riding her more loosey goosey. The minute I closed my hands around the reins and put my elbows by my side she softened into the contact and carried herself in a lovely, balanced way. Shit, I knew that. Why wasn't I doing it? Just cuz...

Riding correctly trains the horse. You don't train the horse to be ridden correctly. Rinse, repeat.

Our homework is to step it up a bit and ask for more. I think it will cure the misbehavior aspect since when I do ask her for more I have her attention and the world outside the arena fades away for both of us.

Tomorrow is our first trail ride. Woohooo, now that's what I live for. Get out of the arena, walk through the woods, cross a creek and just hang with my pony.