Ride 1.2 plus LEASING

Last Thursday afternoon, I scrambled myself over to the barn after work (I was dreadfully late getting off again) and met up with Missy's owner to arrange our lease agreement!  To be honest, I was a tad bit nervous. Remember, I've always owned my horses, never leased before. I've never even boarded my horses anywhere, so this whole thing is completely new to me.

Anyways, because of taking 15 hours at school this semester (school starts Thursday, by the way), plus working, and having a LOT of stuff to do, I had already told her a few weeks ago that I would be unable to manage a full lease (because of finances and time). So we settled on a partial lease wherein I basically get to ride and train her 2-4 times a week (I'll lesson once a week) and the barn will still use her for their team practices and some shows.

Missy's owner is super sweet and I get along with her quite well. We're both students, so the struggles are understood, and I also love the fact that during this whole time so far, she has been completely focused on Missy's wellbeing and not just on using a lease to pay bills. I already know that this will not be a permanent arrangement, after all, I still want to move Lady up here! But for right now, I couldn't be more pleased with how things have turned out.

The barn that Missy is boarded at is the Equestrian Center of the school that I'm attending. So, technically, I'm on campus while I'm there. Maybe I can pretend to be doing homework?  Anyways, the place is very nice, very well taken care of, and I cannot express how much I am loving the indoors during the winter! Although I do miss riding outside.  One of these days I will snap some pictures and put out a barn tour of some sort.

Kind of blurry, but whatever.

I rode again yesterday for about 20 minutes. My focus wasn't completely there, so I quit before too long but we did some basic walk/trot/canter.  She took a few minutes longer than normal to warm up and she was also very looky the first while. The arena we rode in had been used to run cows and rodeo stuff the day before, so it smelled a bit funny to her, I'm sure. Other than that, she was fantastic. I couldn't seem to get my posting down very well though, which frustrated me, but I did a bit of two point practice in all three gaits, and also tried one of the exercises that Lindsey had me do in my lesson - sit for three beats, stand for three beats, repeat, while trotting. And I managed to do it in balance!  Not sure what was different yesterday from last week, but It was much better this time. Anyways, good, short ride. I plan to get out there again one morning this week before school starts on Thursday!

Such a good girl :) :)

I am still not completely confident in everything a lease does for me. I still feel the need to shoot Missy's owner a text every time I head out to ride so that she knows what is going on at all times. And she seems to appreciate it. As a horse owner myself, I know how protective I can be of my own horses. I have also never been the person to ride another person's horse unless explicitely offered and even then I won't push them. It will probably take me a few weeks to relax and settle into the idea that I can do more of what I want with Missy and not just hack her around the arena. Maybe I'm the only one who feels that way?

If you've been involved in a lease before, am I overdoing it? I would love to hear your thoughts on it. Either way, I am very happy to be able to ride again. Riding is awesome and l am pleased to have this lovely little mare to school on.