First, to anyone who is interested, check out Rick's blog! It's the Saddle Geek blog listed with the rest on my blog homepage.
My 4-Beat is officially done its Ohio visit. Rick picked it up yesterday from FedEx who can eat a bag of hell. I'll have to pretty it up, print out some info on it, and take it for consignment.
Last night Rick, Anne, and I rode. Accompanying us were Anne's hubby, dog, and 2 step kids (who are in their mid-late teens) who walked with us. I learned a few things:
* I hate riding with a dog running loose around my horse and people milling about. Peanut didn't react to the dog, but I was waiting for him to strike out since he will attack them. A couple of times I also had to keep him from running over Anne's step daughter who at one point was walking in the space between Gene's butt and Peanut's head.
* Gaiting in the new riding position is pretty grand. We were at the back of the pack (intentionally) and I mainly let him do his own thing while I worked on my new skills. Sometimes he'd fall behind (poo and pee breaks), and gait to get back up. As long as I kept my back unlocked his gaiting felt spectacular. I'm just hoping that a relaxed back is something that will eventually come naturally, but until then just imagining my pivot point below my shoulders instantly releases it.
* Brakes. Hmmm. There were a couple of times that I had to haul on Peanut to get him to slow down, and he ignored me a lot. Granted, it was when he felt that we were being left behind and that makes him panic (and once deer were flushed while we were left behind), but that was still unsettling.
* Peanut's saddle mark has definitely changed. While there is still some heavy pressure on the back of it, it seems to be not as large as before and to be located a little forward. Rick took pictures of the saddle mark before, so I'll have to compare and contrast one day.
All in all, I can't wait for my next lesson with Denise. Leeandra has also contacted me about lessons, and I still don't know what to do yet. I have at least one more pre-paid, and I may give that to Rick. I really don't know what to do as I can't afford to keep both of them.
I've been avoiding writing Leeandra back, but I should do it, and I should do it tonight. If only work hadn't blocked my Gmail. :(
1 comment:
I feel your pain. I prepaid several months board at the old barn to help out with the move, then when I moved, they weren't in a position to pay me back the credit... so I'm guessing I kissed nearly 2 grand goodbye. An expensive lesson to learn.
But, I'm scrimping and saving and starting lessons with Jill next weekend!!!! I'd start this weekend, but I'm in class all this weekend :-P (to class, not you!)
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