Friends + Barn = Bad
Friends going out to the barn is just a bad idea. I took a friend of mine with me to Sunrise on Thursday. She had wanted to get back into lessons, and since I like the barn so well, I figured she would as well. Was I ever wrong. I can't believe how she behaved.. it makes me glad they didn't hear her. It was the first time she had ridden in six months, and she had never ridden at this barn before. Sure, I told them she was an advanced rider, but they're not going to put you on the top horses for your first lesson (or first couple at that). They have to see what your ability as a rider is before they will put you on anything tough, mostly for safety. They had her on this older three gaited mare for her first lesson. The mare in her day was a reserve world champion three gaited horse at Louisville in her day, so even now, she's no nag to ride. She is, however, a horse who is safe enough for a lower-intermediate rider, but can also be a challenge, and a lot of fun for an advanced rider as well. After her lesson, I asked her how she liked the mare, and all she could do was complain that she wasn't put on something game enough, and that with the exception of Cat, they don't have any nice horses to ride. All she had to judge that on was seeing two kids who were only there for their second lesson poking around on beginner horses, and even then, these beginner horses aren't crap either. One was a WC either yearling or weanling in hand at Louisville, and the other was THE original Shatner horse, who did a lot of winning in his time. they can still set up and look awfully good if someone who can ride is on them. ANY horse is going to look less than perfect with a brand new rider on them. As for the mare she rode, the mare is plenty game.... if you're riding. She wasn't asking the mare to do anything. She just set herself up in nice equitation form, and kept her legs still.. didn't use them or anything (She was asn equ. rider as a junior exhibitor). She also claimed the instructor was making things up just to have something to say. The instructor kept after her about her reins because she kept letting them slide out to be really long, and had her hands back so far they nearly touched her stomache. That alone should tell you you need to shorten up, plus you can't work the bridle correctly when you don't have your reins collected. If you're taking lessons, you are there to learn, and better yourself as a rider. You are not there to bitch and moan about having to do what the instructor says, or to think you are too good to ride certain horses. You can learn something from EVERY horse. She wanted to come back out with us for our Friday lesson, but I didn't call her back, or go to pick her up. I'm not going out there to have it ruined. I enjoy going out there, and don't need that type of headache.