Great Lesson

 I had a great lesson today. When I arrived, there were lots of trailers by the arena furthest from the barn because some western riders were practicing for rodeo events there. Ginger hadn't liked the commotion and was a little on on edge, so I rode Reno today instead. Reno had already had several lessons before mine because of this, so he was a little tired.

 He was in one of the small pastures behind the barn when I went to get him. I groomed him, picked his hooves, and tacked him, then head to the arena. After mounting I did walk-halt transitions around the outer edge of the arena, tracking left. Toward the end of the second time around, he began reaching his head down. It took a moment for me to realize that he was trying to eat the grass on the other side of the fence. I kept walking him so he wouldn't snag a bite.

 When I was done with me warm-up, Meghan told me to stay in the dressage court, which was portioned off from the other arena with several ground poles. Nearby each corner were orange cones to help me make a good turn through the corner. I began trotting and did several serpentines at the trot. Then I rode along the edges of the court while Meghan told me about Intro Test C(it's been a while since I have done it).

 Once I reached A, I began my test, saluting at X and continuing on to C, where I began tracking right. I made a circle at B, and then another one at A before heading across the diagonal of the arena to change directions. I made a circle at E, and then another one at A, slowing to the walk when I reached P. I then free walked from B to H, turning right toward C. I gathered me reins and trotted along the long side of the arena, turning down centerline and halting at G, between H and M. I patted Reno, then headed right to and walked to give both of us a short break.

 Next, I did the test with the canter parts included on half of the circle at A. Reno didn't canter right away when I asked, probably because he was tired from his other lessons earlier today. Other than that practicing the test seemed to go well, though I did make a small mistake of heading into the corner when doing one of the circles at A. After that I cooled Reno down, dismounted, and brought him back to the barn to untack and groom him.

I have excellent news! When Meghan was talking to my parents and I, she said that she would be on the look-out for a horse for me. She won't be searching for one, but if she comes across a good one for me she'll let us know. I'm really excited about this, even though I probably won't be getting one very soon. It's great to have a trainer to help you find a horse.

Riding Pictures 4/12/14

My leg is kind of bad in this picture...

Circling the standards near the corner across from the gate.

Riding a figure eight and heading toward the standards near the gate.

I like this picture.

Reno and I before his bath

Hosing him off with a shower spray

Having a nice roll.

After his roll.

Nice Day for a Ride

 The weather was warm today, with very few clouds in the sky. It was excellent riding weather. I wore my new smoke-blue TuffRider breeches today, which I had gotten for my birthday earlier, and rode Reno because Ginger had just had lesson with a girl named Olivia. Reno was having his turnout time in a pasture behind the barn. When I went to get him, I couldn't find his halter, so Meghan told me to use one of the other horse's halter. I led him around the barn and inside, tying him in the cross-ties before getting him ready. While I was picking his hooves, Meghan painted them with black hoof dressing. I then put his boots on, saddled him, put his bridle on, and led him to the arena. Before mounting, I tightened his girth a bit more.

 I warmed Reno up by doing walk-halt transitions and riding around the arena twice. When I was toward the end of the second lap, Meghan told me to ride toward the corner across from the gate, where a set of jump standards with a couple of trot poles between then stood. I circled it at a walking tracking right first. Then I began trotting around it. Reno wanted to go fast today and began trotting too fast, sometimes even breaking into the canter. Because of this I rode him a small circles and gradually made them wider. After doing this for a bit, I slowed to the walk and changed directions. I once more began trotting.

 After that, I once more changed directions and started a new exercise. I began trotting a figure eight, doing the first part around the standards I was already riding around, and riding the second around another set of standards, which were by the gate. I did this so I could get better at changing my posting diagonal. After a while, I started a new figure eight, riding to the right around the original set of standards before going around two adjacent sets that were near the middle of the arena.

 Finally, I began that last exercise. I started by turning left and circling the original set of standards. Then, I rode around to ones near the gate, and finally heading back to the starting point. Next, I began trotting around the set of standards I had started at. I did several steps of canter in each direction then cooled Reno down.

 I rode him out of the arena to the end of the barn closest to the trail(right side if you look at it from the parking lot), then dismounted. He was very sweaty at the end of the ride, and hot, so Meghan told me to hose him down after grooming him if I had time. After leading him into the barn and tying him in the cross-ties, I untacked him, groomed him, and picked him hooves. Then I led him onto the concrete wash area and tied him to the bar. I turned on the hose and let it run for a bit until it was cool. Then I began spraying his legs, slowly working my way up his body as he got used to the water. Once he was cool and I had sprayed his entire body, I untied and returned him to the pasture. As soon as I left the pasture, he began to roll and got himself very dusty. He looked liked he had fun rolling! At least I had bathed him to cool him down, not clean him.

 It was a fun ride. My leg was better than last time, which is good.

Wasn't Doing My Best

 I had a riding lesson on Ginger Saturday. It was a little overcast, but not chilly. After grooming her and picking her hooves, I applied hoof dressing, then tacked her and brought her to the riding arena. Many of the  jump poles had been moved outside of the arena, and only four remained.

 I mounted Ginger and rode her at the walk around the arena, doing walk-halt transitions to warm up. Then I rode her over to a set of four walk poles nearby one of the long sides of the arena, circling to the left. I went over them a couple times before Meghan told to go over them at the trot. She adjusted them while I rode around the circle so I could trot over them.

 I didn't feel like I was doing my best for that lesson. My legs were not as solid as usually, and I was gripping with my knees rather than my calves. I think it might have to do with being a bit tired that day. Good thing Ginger was being nice for that lesson without bucking and only refusing to go from walk to trot a couple of times.

 I continued trotting on the circle on going over the set of poles for the rest of the lesson, changing directions a couple of time throughout the lesson by making a U-turn after going over the poles and heading back over, turning in the opposite direction after going over them.

 At the end of the lesson, I rode the loop that went around the barn and nearby pasture. Afterward, I dismounted in front of the barn, untacked Ginger, brushed her and picked her hooves, then returned her to her corral, which was attached to a paddock.

The Red Mare

 After several cancelled lessons from the rain here in California in recent weeks, which flooded the arena, and a show last weekend, I was able to have another lesson. When I arrived, Meghan was finishing up a lesson with another a girl and Ginger. She finished, and told me that would be riding Ginger, which excited me. I waited a few minutes, and Ginger was untacked and groomed so she could catch her breath before my lessons. When the other girl was done, I entered the barn and found Ginger in the cross-ties. I brushed her, picked her hooves, put her her dressage saddle and bridle on. Then I led her to the arena to begin my lesson.

 Because Ginger had just had a lesson, I didn't need to work much on warming her up. I walked a large circle around four ground poles, which no longer sectioned off a part of the arena for dressage. When I was ready trot, I realized some major differences between Ginger and Reno. She didn't trot after I asked, partly because she was tired, and partly because she sometimes needs extra encouragement to moved at a faster pace. It took a few minutes of clucking and squeezing to get her to trot. Also, every time I lost my balance when posting, Ginger would automatically go to walk, and I had to spend a few minutes to get her to trot again. In a way, it's good that she's so caring about her rider, a trait that makes her a great therapy horse. On the other hand, every time I make a mistake, I have to start over. Of course that makes me more aware of how I ride.

 After doing a few circles around the poles, I started to use them in my trot circle, trotting over them when I reached them. The first time Ginger stumbled, which I learned form Meghan was because I had been looking down. I was better the next time, but I on the wring diagonal, making it harder for Ginger trot over them. By the end of the lesson I better at trotting over the poles. My posting was so good from a few weeks off, but after a few more lessons I will be better.

After the lesson put Ginger in the grooming stall, which had hay in it. Of course, Ginger turn around and tried to eat it after I had unbridled her and was about to put on her halter. She managed to snatch a small bit before I had haltered her and hook her in the cross-ties. I then brushed her off and brought her to her covered outdoor stall. After taking off her halter and latching the gate, I said hi to her neighbor, Mo, as well as Reno, who looked tired.

 I'm going to be riding Ginger as my regular mount now and will soon start to get to know her better. She's a really sweet mare, though Meghan says she sometimes has "red head mare moments." I'm looking forward to riding her again. I'll have a lesson tomorrow and will be her first rider of the day. I can't wait!

First Dressage Test!

 When I arrived at the barn Saturday, quite a several girls were at the barn with their horses, and both of the crossties, as well as the grooming stall and the tying ring by the tack room, were in use. I grabbed Reno and stood in the aisle only a minute or two until the girl grooming Ginger in the grooming stall was done. Then I quickly groomed and tacked him. He had new half pad from the saddle fitter, which you could put foam squares in the make the saddle fit better. Meghan put that on him while I worked on the bridle.

 Surprisingly, the arena was not in use when I was ready. I began warming up with a few laps at the walk then did some trotting. After that, I entered the dressage part of the arena and began working on basic dressage. I walked a serpentine, the trotted it twice, before Meghan decided I was ready for my first dressage test: Intro Test C. Some explained about the centerline and saluting at X, then began walking me through the test while I rode, directing me where to go and what to do.

 To begin with, I did it without any of the canter parts so I could learn how it went. I trotted down the centerline, saluted, then rode on, turning right at C and circling at B. I made another circle at A, then rode across the diagonal of the arena, turned left, and made a circle at E. I made my another circle by A, then walked along the short diagonal when I reached B. Finally, I trotted back to A and rode down the centerline for the second time. I saluted at G, then was finished with my test.

 After going through it once, I did in again, this time cantering in the appropriate places. By the time I was done, two other horses had entered the arena with their riders. Meghan got on one of the horses to ride him a bit before his owner got on, telling me to begin cooling Reno down. She said I could ride a few minutes longer at the walk if liked. which I did.

 Meghan also told me that next week I might be able to ride Ginger. Now that the saddle fitter has come by, Ginger's saddle is more comfortable, so I can now ride her. Also, I will be watching videos of other people doing Intro Test C so I can learn it better.

Canter Serpentines

 Since the heavy rain last week, the sun has shone for a week straight, quickly drying up both arenas so I could have my lesson. Meghan was feeding the horses their lunch when I arrived, so I helped, then grabbed Reno and hooked him in the crossties. He was dirty, with mud on his face and hooves. To save time, Meghan helped me brush him off, dusting off his face and coronets while I curried and brushed his body. Lots of loose winter hair came out as I curried, meaning that spring must be on its way.

After tacking him, I headed of the main arena, which was finally dry enough to use. Someone was practicing a dressage test in the dressage half of the arena, so I walked Reno to the far side and began warming up with some walk-halt transitions. Then I did walk-trot transitions, walking along the shorter sides and trotting the long sides.

 Once Reno was warmed up enough, I began trotting the whole perimeter of our half of the arena. However, he began to get eager and energetic, as he often does when we begin trotting or canter, and began trotting way too fast. Meghan suggested that I put Reno on a circle every time he canters unexpectedly or trots to quickly, rather than pulling the reins and saying "whoa." I did as Meghan instructed, circling as soon as he began to canter or trot as if he wanted to be in a Standardbred race(not quite that fast, but you get the idea).

 After the other rider left the arena, once Reno was going a bit slower, I rode into the dressage side of the arena to work on some serpentines. Meghan set up two sets of parallel poles, one at each point where to circles met. These poles acted as a guide, marking the places where I need to turn and change my diagonal. I did two serpetines at the trot without stopping, then let Reno rest. Then, Meghan added another exciting element: I would canter the middle circle. I did two serpetines like that, then loosened the reins and rode around the entire arena at the walk.

 Then I walked around the property, on the path that looped around the barn and several large paddocks. Afterward, I untacked and groomed Reno. When picking his hooves, I found a fairly good-sized pebble in his left front, prying it out. Once he was all taken care of, I led him to his little corral, which is connected to a paddock, a let him rest.

 It was a great lesson. So far, we are planning for more lessons every Saturday, but that may change since show season is coming up. We'll have to be a bit flexible.

Rain-checked

 After escaping the rain and snow seen in other parts of the country these pasts few weeks, inclement weather has finally hit California. For the past two days, it has been raining nearly non-stop, making the ground that was already soft from last week's rain even more muddy and creating conditions less than ideal for riding. Meghan decided we should rain-check the lesson(literally) and reschedule it for another weekend, because none of use want to be out in the cold rain that is supposed to continue tomorrow. Besides, both arenas and probably muddy, or worse, flooded with large puddles, and there isn't an indoor at Silver Rose Ranch. I'm sure Reno greatly appreciates out decision to reschedule for a drier, sunnier day. Hopefully that day will be next week, before the show season starts. Meghan, my parents, and I need to work something out for show season, since she will be busy taking some of her more exerienced students to shows Saturdays. We'll see what happens. For now I plan on getting a hot chocolate.

Lesson 2-1-14 Pictures

I have lots of nice pictures from Saturday's lesson.

One of the most harmonious moment of the ride.

I love this picture. My heels are done,  Reno's neck is arched,  and the picture was taken a the perfect moment. 

Lesson 2-1-14

 Saturday, after three weeks of not riding due to both Meghan and I having busy schedules, I finally was able to get in the saddle again. The arena I usually ride in near the front gate was flooded after the heavy rain we had Thursday, so I would have to use the higher one often used in times like that. Reno had moved from his usual paddock to one of the small outdoor stalls nearby. It turns out, the living arrangements had been switched about a bit.

 While grooming Reno, I noticed two things: he was beginning to shed, and his mane, once very long, had been pulled until only a few inches was remaining. After grooming and tacking him, I led him to the large steps I had used to help me mount before my first few lessons since the second arena only had a vetry short mounting block. Then, I rode him up a slight incline to second arena. Meghan warned me that this arena is often windy, so even Reno, a usually calm and steady horse, could be a bit frisky. Then I entered the arena.

 Several other horses, a large bay and a pony, I think, were also working in the same arena. Meghan instructed me to ride in a circle around to poles, set side by side, and warm up with some walk-halt transitions. After warming up with several loops around the circle, I began to trot. Meghan said that she was impressed at how well I was doing after nearly a month off, which made me beam.

 This time, I worked a lot at getting a feel for the horse. When I felt he was resisting, I would apply more rein and leg, when he was moving at a pace I was comfortable with, as well as circling in the direction I wanted without any resistance, I would release the pressure, rewarding him. As always, I worked on making sure my equitation was correct. A few times I would look down or make another mistake, and would tilt a bit forwards. If Reno lowered his head, a bad habit of his, I would nearly fall over onto his neck. Well, at least he doesn't buck like Ginger sometimes does. I probably would have fallen off if that happened.

 Anyways, after trotting a circle to the left for a couple minutes, I slowed the the walk and changed directions. I walked around the circle several times, giving both Reno and I a break, then picked up the trot again. I worked on this for the bulk of the lesson, changing directions several times, then Meghan said she would put me on the lungeline so I could canter a bit. I would still control whether he walked, trotted, or cantered, but Meghan would use the lungeline so she could steer him.

 I brought him to the corner, giving us two walls to use, then Meghan hooked the lungeline to his bridle and I began to trot. After going around the circle several times, I did a few strides of canter. Meghan removed the lungeline and hooked it on the other side of the bridle so I could change directions, then I circled and trotted and cantered some more.

 Afterwards, Meghan removed the lungeline and I began the cool down on the same circle I had started on. We wanted to make sure Reno wasn't energetic and ready to canter so he didn't think that after he cantered, he would be done with his workout. His trot was more bouncy and energetic than usual, and he threw in a canter stride here and there, but by decreasing the size of the circle, I finally calmed him down. Then I rode around the entire arena once to cool him down completely, dismounted, and led him back to the barn. I gave him lots of pats because he was good boy a returned him to his new paddock after untacking him and grooming him.

 It was a great and fun lesson. I'll have another lesson next week, but after that I'm not sure, because show season is just beginning, meaning a hectic schedule for Meghan. Hopefully we'll be able to work things out.

 Also, check out this neat giveaway.

January 11th Lesson Pictures

Reno was energetic, so I rode him in tight circles with a diameter a little wider than your typical jump to get him calmed down and paying attention.

I gradually widened the circle as he focused and slowed down.

Trotting to the other side of the arena to repeat the circle exercise. 

I love this picture.

Trotting in a large circle covering about half of the arena.

By the end of the lesson I had more control over Reno. I had learned to grasp the reins tightly so they don't slip, thus encouraging Reno to keep a steady pace rather cantering or trotting too quickly.

Energetic Horse

 When I arrived at the ranch today, there was a lot of going on, with one Pony Club group leaving and another still training. Several men in tractors were working on the roof of the outdoor stalls near Reno's paddock to make room for two horses that Meghan will soon begin training.

We had a little mix up with the time because I totally forget that my lesson would be at 2:00 that day, not noon as it usually is, due to the Pony Club meeting at the same time. Another girl was having her first lesson at 1:00, so I wouldn't have time to do the lesson at noon. We decided that I could come back at 2:00 so I would have plenty of time to have my lesson.

 Despite having a lesson not long before mine, Reno was very energetic. He trotted quickly, and even began to canter, so Meghan decided I should ride him in circles to calm him down a bit. I trotted him in a fairly tight circle around a jump(the Pony Club was doing jumping, so the dressage letters had been removed) and slowly worked my into a wider circle covering half of the arena. Along the way, he would increase his speed and canter some more(three or four strides at a time!).

  Part of the reason I was having the problem is that I wasn't holding the reins tight enough, so they would loosen and he would speed up. Once I focused on not letting the reins slip between my fingers, things were much better. I rode to the other end of the arena and did the circle exercise there, starting small and working my way up to a larger circle.

 After trotting the circles, I rode around the barn to cool down, untacking and grooming Reno, and even brushing his mane.

 The challenge Reno provided in this lesson has increased my riding skills more than a ride on him when he is being calm and easily controlled. It is true that every rider needs a challenging ride when the horse isn't being 100% cooperative. It makes you a better rider, which is what all of us are striving for.