Holiday Ride 1

I spent most of yesterday being lazy and recovering from my Texas trek. But after being away from home for four days, I was quite ready to get back out with the horses.  :)

The best girl.  <3

 She actually has not had a halter on in over a week... just a bridle. My horse is a breeze to catch, peoples, and she bridles in the field just as easily. Love it!
We walked around together and then I saddled her and we walked around again while I tightened the girth in stages.

Our ride went basically like this...
- Mount up on the third try.
- Grumble at my lack of flexibility and ability to mount smoothly.
- Walk around on a loose rein. Avoid the hay shed.
- Poke The Pony so that she gets out of the way.
- Urge horse into a trot.
- Lament the fact that I have a wimpy phase 4 and resolve again to buy a crop.
- Trot around the arena.

- Stop horse and cry about the fact that my legs are shaking.
- Trot again. I. Can. Do. This.
- Kick myself for being a wimp and decide to work on the canter.
- Flail in the canter for more than few strides before finally figuring it out.
- Settle into the canter and do several figure 8s. A first for both of us!!!
- Make a really awkward transition back to the trot.
- Stop and watch The Pony buck and flail around. (She loves being with us)
- Get off and finally adjust stirrups so that they are even.
- Get back onto a grumpy horse who thought she was done being ridden.
- Ride around at the walk/trot and realize my right leg is being a jerk.
- Try to correct said jerk while working on leg aids with horse.
- Get a few nice responses to the leg aids.
- Fail miserably at correcting the leg.
- Dismount and cool off.

That was the looong cliff notes version. Overall it was a good ride, but that right leg of mine was definitely being a jerk and I got frustrated about it. And Lady's "go button" is a little broken right now, which is my fault because I've stopped getting after her when she misbehaves and then I just nag. I need to get something a little longer than a crop for riding so that she remembers what she is supposed to do.

Cooling off bareback.

Depending on my work schedule tomorrow, I plan to work with both of the girls on the ground. They both need to sweat.  ;)

40 minute ride at W/T/C.  Lady was warm but not sweaty and did not feel sore.