Tallness evidence

 

I forgot I got my dad to take a few pictures of me on Joe the other day. Evidence of just how tall he is, finally! I like riding him in my front yard...no dusty arena. And he rides just the same out there as he does in the arena. But all has been going well with riding Mr Joe. Been playing with his lateral work- he is awesome at it. Still can't sit his trot, but beginning to feel less like a sack of potatoes on him. It is becoming less and less that I get thrown off balance during transitions or get stuck ahead of/behind his trot. Practice makes perfect, and I will strengthen my leg and core riding him. Yay! Although I've started wearing little nubby spurs with him.... to fight against the laziness. He likes to try and poke along at barely a trot. No thanks! You've got big legs Joe, you can use them!

Bad Decision? Nah!

 

Today I was feeling guilty that I haven't been doing much of anything with Gypsy since Joe got here. So I decided to bring her out to the yard and hand graze her. This turned into, I will sit on your back while you graze. Which in turn turned into I will walk you around the yard. I just looped her lead rope that was on her halter around her neck. Secure? Sure! She was being great and calm. So we decided to walk down Beasley road in nothing but her halter. Haha, but she was so good! I haven't been on her in quite some time, let alone on her outside. But she was calm and great. What a good old mare. Now that I am not trying to do things with her that she hates or is just darn bad at....she is great. But OMG. Did she seem tiny midget short sitting on today, after the time on Joe. Haha.

Oh yeah I forgot...

I keep forgetting to post. Mostly because I've been waiting to get a good picture, but now tomorrow its been a week, so its looking like a good picture might be a long time coming.
Joe lives at my house now! The lease is official, and he has come to live with Gypsy and Jett!  Jett loves him to pieces, Gypsy would rather he didn't exist. But he has been a good boy. I've ridden him a few times in my arena- my arena looks teeny tiny, way too small for him when Im on him. Ha. My whole barn looks miniature with him in it. But he acts like the gentleman he is riding in my arena. And the other day I rode him down beasley road, hoping he would be good. And he was wonderful. Better than I'd hoped. He looked all around, but walked happily down the road and back, no sillyness at all. WOOO!
Now to get my tired bum out to ride him tonight....

Heres the only pic I really have of him here. And its lousy. Sorry. It was the first time I put Joe and Jett together. And they promptly began grooming each other. Ha, cute :)

A Lesson for Me!

I got to take a legit, real lesson tonight! I have been riding Mazzarati (though not enough) and today got the opportunity to take a dressage riding lesson on him, from the wonderfully talented trainer that comes once a week to the clinic barn. I was very nervous- I have never really taken any fancy lessons before, and haven't had instruction since my equitation lessons in college. I was a bundle of nerves, since I'm really not a very advanced rider, but once I was up on Mazzi, it was better. And boy let me tell you, it went SO well! I told her my goal was to get better downward transitions with Mazz, because I struggle with him getting all strung-out and upside down in them. And she showed me the correct way to ask him to collect and round himself and be on my aids, and how to feel when Mazz is doing it right. I like the way she teaches- its not 'move this rein here and that leg there'. Its- this is the idea of what you need to do, but work with it a little bit to find the right way to do it for this horse and what he is doing right now. And OH BOY! Did I have the best ride ever on him. I started to be able to really feel when he was rounding and bending through his body like he should, not just being a noodle and bending in his neck. And he also pulled more naughtyness with me than he has before, but she gave me new tools to deal with the naughty, and exercises to do with him to strengthen my aids and his body. And let me tell you, when I got a GOOD downward canter-trot transition, and a trot-walk transition, it felt great!
Now I want to go and ride Joe and try the things out I learned on him! I was really wanting to ride him tonight, but now I am feeling tired. I got up early and went to work, got off around 5:30, my lesson on Mazzarati was at 6:15, got home around 8, cleaned stalls and fed horses and ate my own dinner at 9..... and now here it is at 9:30 and I am finding it slightly difficult to get myself out and riding Joe. Ha. I had coffee with my dinner. Maybe that will kick in shortly and give me a second wind.
Yay for riding lesson succcess! I am looking forward to using what I learned and riding better, and hopefully eventually taking another lesson!

A flood of horses!

It makes me laugh a little bit, that just some weeks ago I was getting rather sad and depressed I didn't have any horse to ride. I was surrounded by people who had lovely and well trained horses to enjoy. Well, now I do too! All of a sudden, I have two! I am now allowed to ride Mazzarati! The wonderful lady who has been riding Mazzi to recondition him back into work is out of town, and so now I have been given permission to ride him every day if I'd like! Mostly walk, some trot, a tiny bit of canter. It takes a lot of work to get back into work after six months of rest, after all. And oh boy do I love to ride Mazz. He is the smoothest ride I think I will ever have the pleasure to ride. He has a few silly goofy arabian moments, sure, but what manners! You tell him hey, please focus on me again, and he comes right back! His trot is like floating when I can get him to relax into a long, low frame. And his canter, oh my goodness his canter.... I could rant on and on. I just had to laugh and smile when I cantered him for the first time last time I rode. Smooth as silk. So I am greatly enjoying my time I get to spend with him. I really like that horse :) Always have. So glad he is healing and doing so great, after we just weren't sure for a while.

And further exciting news! I am officially going to lease Joe. It was agreed upon today, and very soon we will meet and sign a contract and work out all the little details. And then he will come to live at my house with Gypsy and Jett! I am so excited to be able to ride such a good horse anytime I would like. Maybe we can enter some little po-dunk shows, just for fun. I feel like I will become a better rider because of Joe, and will also get much stronger and stable in my core, since he has such huge gaits. :)    Woohoo!