Today we both rode on Parelli pads (which is a sueded bareback pad for the non-horsey types).  Jonathan rode Stitch, a quarter horse who has mostly been used as a trail horse.  I rode Dreamy again, whom I rode a few times back at Cavallo Rossi. We didn't use bridles, just rope halters and lead-rope reins.  Once we'd warmed up, we learned about ( Read more... )

( Cantery Goodness )

Just a super quick post to say that Frodo went with Michael & I on a trail ride yesterday, and he was awesome!  I cantered more, which was a lot of fun, though I had to grab mane a lot!  I learned a bit more about cantering at riding lesson yesterday, even though Dixie didn't really want to canter, and so I only got a stride or two out of her ( Read more... )

Yesterday I rode Charm, possibly for the first time.  Jonathan worked with Mohanna, the paint.  Charm & Mo are both daughters of Dixie, whom I usually ride.  Charm has a lot more energy than Dixie, and is notably taller.  At least, I noticed it!  We rode with bareback pads and rope halters.  We almost always ride with rope halters, btw.  I think I' ( Read more... )

This past Thursday, despite the morning being awful, I had a fine riding lesson.  Dixie still doesn't like the surface of the arena enough to canter (I guess), but Jonathan & I both rode bareback.  That was the first time for him riding without a saddle or bareback pad at all.  Apparently Deb, the other instructor, is the one who owns the Parelli ( Read more... )

Back in the saddle this week (I've been riding bareback or with a bareback pad for much of the summer), it felt pretty good. it was an all purpose saddle that I hadn't used before. We also had a raope halter & reins.  The bulk of the lesson was practising keeping Rythym, and then stopping without using the reins unless we had to, and then going ( Read more... )

Riding:
Lesson this past Thursday was supposed to be about Emergency dismounts, but Jonathan asked about riding with one rein (we were both riding with rope halters & reins) and so the lesson ended up being all one rein riding, and practicing switching the rein from side to side, and then repeat at a trot/jog.  Jonathan is a natural at one rein ( Read more... )

Opps, I've been bad.  Um, the last couple of lessons, the ring has been in better shape, so I've been doing more trotting.  I've also been riding with just a rope halter and bareback pad, and this past week I just had the rope halter.  I was amazed that not only did it not feel _nearly_ as slippery as it did last time I did this, but I even managed ( Read more... )

Practiced more bareback work yesterday, with rope halter.  Posting bareback is definitely good for me, and I'm happy to say that I'm not at all sore today like I thought I'd be.  Used a bareback pad that was new to me, that I really, really like. It's a Parelli pad, with quilted suede on top.  I didn't look to see if it was suede underneath as well ( Read more... )

Riding was fun, like last week.  The outdoor arena looks nice, but the ground surface hasn't been fixed yet so it's not hard, so we didn't do much over a walk.  A little trotting at the end, on the side that's fairly soft, but not much.  I was riding Dixie, and Jonathan was on Charm, her daughter.  Lyda rode Mohanna around (also Dixie's daughter ( Read more... )