Welcome, 2016!

Happy New Year everyone!  I hope you all had a fabulous holiday season; I had a great one and spent a lot of time playing board games with my brothers.  Now that the holidays are over and a new year has begun,  my brief hiatus from riding and blogging should be over, so I can start getting back on track.  Last year brought so many changes and new experiences, and I hope 2016 does as well!

In January of 2015,  I was offered a working student position Laura Hermanson, a professional dressage rider who specializes in riding and training mules.  She is the first person to ever ride a mule in the US Dressage Finals, which she did in 2014.  Before riding with her, I didn't know much about mules at all.

Myself and one of Laura's mules, Moxie.

I also didn't know much about riding and training.  At the beginning of last year, I was still very much a beginner.  I was still piecing together the most basic elements of riding, and my riding and handling style were uncoordinated.  I'm still not completely fluid in my aids, but training with Laura has opened a completely new dimension to riding: communication and training.  With her,  I learned how to better communicate and build a relationship with a horse, and how to better understand the nuances of a horse's behavior.  I learned that horses are aware of the subtle, almost imperceptible changes in our bodies and energy,  and was taught how to channel that energy and how to move my body in ways that influence the horses.  Furthermore, I learned how to teach and train a horse.  Before this year,  I was a rider who would simply hop on and go.  This year, I learned how to work with a horse on the ground to teach them and to set them up for success under saddle.  By lungeing a horse before riding, one can watch how the horse moves and ask them to become round.  Then, when I finally mounted, the horse would already be warmed up and would have already stretched and become round.

May 2015–I'll get another to compare later on!

In addition to learning so much, I have also experienced many new things.  In March, I rode a donkey named Buddy, which was an interesting experience.  Donkeys are kind, gentle creatures,  but they also do not like to work harder than necessary, so many do not go faster than a jog.

In April, I rode a mule in a western trail clinic(part 2).  Before then, I had only ridden western a handful of times, and riding a mule was a completely new experience.  I learned so much in that clinic.   I continued riding western over the summer.

Finally, in October I rode a mule named Ruby in western pleasure and trail at my first show.  By then, my aids were a bit more refined, and I had learned to move a horse more with my legs and less with my hands.  The show was an extraordinary experience.

This year, I hope to continue refining and honing my skills.  In the spring, I want to ride in a few hunter classes at another mule show, so I'll be working on no-stirrup work to gain a more solid position.  I hope this new year brings many more experiences and successes for myself and all my readers!

Just Do It!

 No-Stirrup November continues, and I feel I have been improving a little bit each time I ride. I will likely continue no-stirrup work through December as well, because I hope that it can help me gain a more solid, independent seat, and to post without balancing on my hands or swinging my lower leg.  It's interesting how much more evident these problems become when I ride without stirrups.

I lunged Lucky just before I rode her last, and she was splendid!  She went the best I have ever seen her gone.  Interestingly enough, she worked much better to the right, which in the past has been her weaker side.  Normally, she leans excessively on her inside shoulder went going to the right, and consequently, I have to use a lot of inside leg(or point a dressage whip at her shoulder in this case).  This time, however, she did not lean nearly as much, and most importantly, actually began seeking the sweet spot(roundness/stretching) on her own, after I set her up correctly(Laura worked with her before I lunged).  She was able to stay round for several circles without me having to constantly correct her by squeezing on the line.  It was spectacular.  Unfortunately, she did not do as well to the left, which is usually her best side, but these things happen as horses are trained

After having ridden with no stirrups for several times, I am able to more easily lift myself out of the saddle when posting.  However, watching my video from my first no-stirrup ride has made it clear that I have been balancing on my hands while doing this.  Because of this, the foci of my ride was not using my hands to lift myself out of the saddle.  Instead, I should use my core strength.  To help me do this, I ditched my hands entirely, putting them on my hips or stretching them out to the side instead.  By doing this, I had no choice but to use my core.  However, this aggravated another problem at first: my lower legs swung back instead on staying I place.  Again, this is a problem that I am pretty sure I have had before; it just has been made more evident now that I am riding without stirrups.

During the next trot set, I tried my hardest to keep my legs steady.  This time, I succeeded.  Afterward, I spent a few moments trying to memorizing exactly how that felt, so I could repeat it. Solid is really the only way I can think of to explain it.  It made glancing while posting much easier, and I felt much more steady.

Next, I held my arms out to me side, like an airplane, as I trotted quite a few circles around the round pen, posting in short intervals.   I could feel the burning in my inner thighs as I did this, but wanted to push myself just enough that increased my strength and endurance, but not enough to overdo it and get fatigued. Before long, though, I could even feel my arm strength begin to flag, and was relieved to to them on my hips and walk for a bit.  I worked like this for a it, sitting and rising the trot, and walking in intervals.  When I was done, I tried a two-point at the halt, because that is what Laura plans for me to work on next: two-point without stirrups.  It may be difficult, but it will be infinitely useful.  It will not only increase my strength and balance, but will also prepare me for accidents that can happen when riding a jump course.  I cannot count the number of times I've seen pictures of jumpers losing or breaking stirrups(or even bridles–yikes) while on a course. At any rate, it will be a great thing to learn.

To finish, I took a trail ride around the property to cool out.

No-Stirrup November!

I've been riding for two years now, and decided to start the third off by participating in No-Stirrup November for the first time.  Although I have ridden stirrup-less at the walk a couple times, and bareback at the trot, this will be my first time riding without stirrups for extended periods of time.  Riding western trail has really improved my ability to use my legs for steering; I am much less reliant on my hands than I have been in the past, and I know that I can ride on a loose rein without using it for turning now.   Now it is time to solidify my seat.  I will do that through riding without stirrups.  I am starting slow,  but I'm hoping to work up to riding longer and to riding the canter.

Lungeing

 Since Lucky has been on a mini-hiatus these past couple months and the whether has finally turned cold, and I lunged her before both rides.  It's part of my routine anyways, and besides allowing to let Lucky buck her crazies out, it gives me the opportunity to work her and prepare her for being ridden. When I lunged, I worked on flexing her head to the inside, bending her body, keeping her in an even rhythm, and making her become round.  With Lucky, getting roundness and bend often takes many repetitive light squeezes because she often looks to the outside.  I tried to catch her before she looked to the outside.  The lungeing on the second day was more successful than the first.  Laura lunged Lucky for a bit before me, showing me how to keep Lucky's head bent to the inside by squeezing the line just before Lucky looked to the outside.  She also showed me how to keep Lucky's body bent and how to prevent her from leaning, which she did by pointing the whip at Lucky's girth, using it as an inside leg.  Ideally, a horse she be flexed to inside, bend along their ribcage, and round, what Laura calls "the sweet spot."  She always waits until this moment before making any transition. After a while she handed the line over to me.  Under her guidance, I worked on the same things at the walk, trot, and canter.

No-Stirrup November

The improved seat, increased strength, and yes suffering(no pain, no gain, right?) of No-Stirrup November begins for me.  The first day, I only rode for twenty minutes or so.  Laura lunged me so I could focus on my position as I rode, although I did work on spiraling the circle in and out, so I did control Lucky in some respects.  

The stirrups come off for the month! No turning back now. ;)

The walk was not too taxing, though I could still feel my thigh muscles working.  It was the trot that was the real killer.  Although I was riding without stirrups, Laura wanted me to rise at the trot rather than sit, which proved quite strenuous to say the least.  My lower leg swing and I could barely rise out of the saddle.  What Laura was discovered is that I have been bracing against the stirrups and using them to rise out of the saddle, rather than supporting myself with my calves and only moving my knee and thigh to post.  My legs are also often far behind me, but that is something I've known for a while. More no-stirrup work should fix both of those things! My thighs were like jello afterward; it is strenuous work.

Click here for video.  I'll have a comparison video next month.

I would say that I did better the second day.  Again, I was lunged and focused on getting my position correct: my legs at the girth, my elbows at a 90 degree angle, my upper body straight, and my inside shoulder bent slightly back.  I was successful at the walk.  However, it was more difficult at the trot.  During the trot, I sat for a circle before posting, and posted in short burst of a few strides at a time. When I did this, I felt I bit more solid, but my hands, which held the reins with no contact, were not as still as they should be.  Still, I worked on it and did quite of bit of trotting, but only for several times around the round pen at time, as I did not want to get fatigued.  

Afterward, I rode around the ranch on my own for several minutes, trying my best to not use my hands to turn Lucky.  I was able to turn Lucky in the trail and on twenty meter circles with just my legs!  

The no-stirrup work will continue throughout November, and maybe even through December.  I'm hoping that I can try cantering without stirrups by the end of the month; I'm sure the work will greatly improve my canter.  That's the goal anyways!  It will be tough, but it will be worth it! Is any one else doing No-Stirrup November? 

I Drove Pistachio!

 I haven't been doing much horse related activities this past month, though I lunged Lucky several times and rode Pistachio once.  Lucky has done really well the last few times I lunged her.  She stretched her neck down and become round consistently,  and even circled to the right without leaning and letting her shoulder drop into the circle, which is great news.   Pistachio has also been doing well.     Under saddle, he has been more accepting of contact, and even reached for the bit.  He stayed round for more than just a split second, a huge improvement.

 Recently, I went driving with Pistachio and his owner, Gretchen, at the same ranch where the Halloween Haunt event was held last year, and where the Spring Fling was held earlier this year.  Before we drove, I lunged Pistachio, then harnessed him with Gretchen.

 First, Gretchen drove to one of the new driving hazards obstacle.  Hazards are made up of sturdy wooden poles that the driver must weave through, and consist of several elements, all of which must be performed in order.  This particular one had an A, B, C, D, and E element.   Each element consists of two poles: a red pole and a white.  Like in eventing and jumping, the red is always on the right.  The hazard was tricky at first, but after driving Pistachio at a walk through it a few times to see where every element, Gretchen was able to drive it at a trot.

 In the dressage ring, Gretchen drove Pistachio in a serpentine loop.  A serpentine loop, unlike the serpentines consisting of three 20 meter circles, are straight lines that snake across the arena, making a U-turn at each arena wall.  Gretchen did this to slow Pistachio, who often rushes when being driven.

 We also drove in the cones course.  The cones course consisted of 20 pairs of cones, each labeled from 1 to 20, the order they are meant to be driven in.  He rushed quite a bit during the cones course as well.

 Later on, Gretchen surprised me by allowing me to drive Pistachio.  I had only driven twice before that time, and had only driven a miniature horse.  However,  driving is not terribly difficult for someone who knows how to ride, although there is one major difference that was hard to get used to: I couldn't use inside leg to help Pistachio bend.  To help me, Gretchen touched Pistachio's barrel with her whip, encouraging him to bend.  He was bit fast a few times, but wasn't uncontrollable.  I drove him in the dressage arena for a few minutes, playing around with the serpentine exercise I did with Lucky(the one with a few walk strides in between each change of direction).  He did it pretty well, and even came round a few times.

 Next, I tried the cones course.  It was challenging, but fun.  I didn't go through a few of them completely straight and bumped a few cones though, accidentally knocking down the white number eleven.   Just before gate six,  I asked him to slow down slightly.  Just after six was a short(only about a stride), steep, hill leading into an indent that was several strides long.  I wanted to slow him, because I knew the downhill, and the following uphill, would cause him to speed up.

 I really enjoyed driving Pistachio!  It was great.

Throwback Thursday and Lungeing Lesson

  I don't normally follow any trends like Throwback Thursday, but the coming summer brought back memories Chester, the TB/Percheron gelding I leased last summer, and made me realize how far I have come in a year. When I began leasing him, I was still a "newbie" that couldn't canter, and I didn't even know what "on the bit" was. He was a very hot and challenging horse, teaching me a lot and making me into a brave and confident rider that won't completely lose her head at the challenging behavior of a hot horse. Though it was only a year ago, it seems like a lifetime ago because I have changed so much and have become a much better rider and horsewoman since then. Now my riding is much more fine-tuned and I am more subtle in my aids. I have also learned more of the training aspect of riding. I have learned how to lunge a horse to teach him/her to use his/her body correctly(for dressage but all horses benefit from being round and off the forehand) and to move in an even rhythm.

 For reference, here are a few pictures of the first time I rode Chester. I still had that awkward newbie style because I had only been riding off and on for six months at that point, with rides spaced a week or more apart. Below them are pictures from my last ride on Lucky.

Chester in June 2014

Chester

 My most recent lesson with Laura was a ground lesson on lungeing. I was working on getting myself in the correct position while lungeing, as well as getting Lucky to bend to the inside and use her body correctly. The major takeaway was that just like in riding, when my body is correct, it is easy to get Lucky's body to be correct. It took until the end to learn this, but it was a great lesson to learn.

Lucky May 2015

  I started by directing Lucky's thoughts in the direction I wanted her to go. Gently, I pointed her face out and to the left, then let her go out in a small walk circle around me. When I started lungeing her, Lucky was for the most part not really focused on me. She listened, but she wasn't "with" me. I held my hands with my elbows at my side, just like when riding, and squeezed the lunge line to get Lucky to bend her head to the inside. It was important that when I did this, I released the pressure the moment Lucky flexed to the inside so she understood that she had done what I wanted. This was something that I had to do almost every other stride throughout the lesson.

Lungeing Lucky the other day

  I found throughout the lesson that I kept getting behind the driveline. In other words, I was not in the position that I should be relative to the horse when lungeing, which is across from the saddle. There is a fine line of where to stand. Standing in front of that line blocks the horse and slows her down; standing behind it drives her forward. I was told to fix my position multiple times, but towards the end I began to notice it myself. The reason I bring this up is because position plays an essential in riding and lungeing. When I was correct in my position, both when riding and when lungeing, it was easier for Lucky to become correct in her position, balanced, and soft. It was one of those revelatory moments when things just click. You might be thinking " Well, duh. " Even so, I think it is amazing how rider and horse balance are interconnected. The rider's balance affects the horse's balance.

Lucky

 When Lucky was correct in her body, it just felt amazing. She was soft in my hand and moving freely in her body. Of course, this didn't happen the entire time. Mostly, it happened in brief moments. It was(and is) important that I waited until these moments to ask for a transition, down or up. Staying round through transitions is important because it builds the correct muscles, and also because you don't want the horse hollow through the transitions. Many horses and riders struggle with this. Of course to stay round through a transition the horse needs to be round in the first place, so I waited until one of those moments when Lucky became round to ask for any transition, up or down.

Lucky is bending her neck here

 It can be difficult to know when a horse is correct in her body. However, one trait that Laura has told me  I have is "feel." I can feel when both the horse and I are right in our bodies, even if I don't know exactly how to make things right. I could tell when Lucky was balanced and correct in her position, so I when I was ready to ask her canter, I waited until I saw that she balanced.

 I also tried to be as do as little as possible when asking her to trot and canter, and only needed to touch the ground with the whip to encourage her once or twice. The lesson was very productive, and I'm so happy how things just clicked. Position and balance affect your horse too, and for the better if you are in balance.

Pony Practice

 Remember Pistachio the pony? I rode him several times throughout the fall and went to a driving show with him and his owner, Gretchen. Since starting my working student position, I haven't ridden him too much, but I did get the opportunity to ride him a few days ago. When I took him to the round pen to lunge him, I worked on a few of the things I have been learning with Laura. I walked to his hindquarters, and he moved around his forehand. He turned on the haunches when I turned his head and pushed his shoulder.

Lungeing

 Pistachio's walk looked nice when lungeing; he took long strides and his back swung. He wasn't as loose at the fro, but he stretched down his neck a few times. When it was time to changed directions, he came right to me.

The stirrup is long so I can't get very far out of the saddle, and foot has slipped through.

 Under saddle, I worked on circles a lot to help him to bend. I also tried to get his trot relaxed by slowing my posting and controlling my breathing. It worked! He slowed down and became more relaxed. I also tried to use my body to turn him throughout the ride.

 Although I was posting the trot most of the time, I tried to stay in two-point for a little bit at a time throughout the ride. I even held it around the arena. I wasn't in complete balance the whole time, but I tried to do all the things I did on Lucky: my hands forward and onto the neck, my legs underneath me and shoulders back.

Cutie pony and I

 It's really great I can practice on my own as well as with Laura and apply what I learn to other equines. In a couple weeks, I will be going to another driving show with Gretchen and Pistachio. The last one was a fun Halloween one as you may recall. This one is going to have the three phases of driving: dressage, marathon with hazards, and cones. The marathon is similar to cross country in eventing, and cones more similar to stadium jumping on flat. Knocking down cones gives you penalty ints. It's going to be fun and I can't wait!

Lucky Cleared for Canter Work!

 I had a fun day at Laura's on Monday, spending most of the day there. There was a lot going on that day: the farrier, chiropractor, and a woman who does equine body works was there. Before they arrived, though, I lunged and rode Lucky.

 The lungeing went so much better after I had established to Lucky that I was the leader the time before. Horses and mules really do start off where we left off and remember what they did last time. This time around Lucky respond to more subtle, quieter cues. I didn't have to even use the whip. My focus for that lungeing session was to ask Lucky to do what I wanted in the smallest way possible, and it worked well. After the first few minutes, she listened vey carefully to the slight changes in my body. In fact, just by looking in the direction I wanted her to go, what Laura does when preparing to ask for trot(to the left lungeing when to the left and right when going right), Lucky responded by trotting right away. It's such as great feeling for a horse to be in tune with you enough to trot off at just slight change in your body.

No new pictures so here's one of Lucky I took  couple weeks ago.

 Since Lucky was listening nicely, Laura recommended asking for bigger and smaller trot strides. for smaller strides I would relax my energy, and for bigger trot strides I would look where I wanted lucky to go and give a cluck if needed. There was one time when I asked a little too strongly(I slightly lifted the whip by accident), and Lucky broke into canter and kicked up her heels. I remain calmed and lowered the energy in my body, calmly saying "whoa." After that, Lucky's trot was actually much nicer and bigger, like a fancy dressage trot. It actually made her feel good to get her adrenaline going.

 Afterward, I rode Lucky for a little bit on the lunge line(Lucky still can't work too long). Laura was controlling the steering, and I just controlled the speed. I wasn't completely without reins but kept them at the buckle just in case I need to stop her. I worked on keeping my elbows bent and hands the right distance apart. In the posting trot I focused on bring the center of my body up and towards my hands. I also tired to establish an even two beat rhythm. I then tried staying up for two beats and sitting for one, but I had trouble with it. I certainly need to work on my two point! I'l be doing more lunge lessons in the future.

 After that, the chiropractor and farrier came, so I helped fetch and hold horses and mules. There was also someone there who does equine body work(massage and other things that release tension in the body). She demonstrated on Lucky how she gently squeezes the muscles behind the poll to release tension. Blinking, snorting, and chewing are all signs that tension has been released. Here is a more in-depth description of what she did. Lucky also was work on by the chiropractor. The chiropractor gave exciting news: Lucky is cleared for canter work under saddle! Woo-hoo! I'm so excited.

 Also, Laura was featured in a Horse Illustrated article. Check out my post about it.

Follow the Leader

 Friday at Laura's, after grooming the mule BB and tacking her for Laura to lunge while she worked with Dyna, I lunged Lucky. This time I was really focusing on being her leader and getting her to respond right away to my cues. Lucky still needs to get more forward when asked. She likes to settle into a western jog pace or perhaps a slow hunter hack pace when I ask for trot. However, we want a big, expressive movement in dressage.

 Previously, and for most of yesterday's lungeing, I had been clucking multiple times in a row before slapping the ground with the whip. However, to get a more immediate response I should cluck once with meaning and then follow with the whip if needed, smacking the ground. Clucking while lungeing is like asking nicely with your calf. Smacking the ground with the whip is like giving the horse a kick under saddle.You don't want to continuously kick, kick, kick. Similarly, you don't want to chase the horse with the whip.

What I learned is that you can't babysit them. By this Laura means that you can't constantly ask them to go forward every stride. You want to give them a chance to make a mistake, let them make it, and then correct them. Otherwise the won't learn how to do things on their own without being asked every stride. Laura demonstrated this with Lucky. She would cluck once to ask Lucky to trot, immediately smacking the ground with the whip if Lucky didn't respond or if Lucky responded with a slow jog. This way, she established herself as the leader.

 Then, I tried. While early, Lucky had been responding a bit half-heartedly because she didn't see me as the boss, once I asked the way Laura did, Lucky's responses were more immediate. If she slowed down her trot even a bit, I again asked. However, it was until Lucky went into my space without me asking, and I actually had to give her a smack with the whip, that she listened. Going into my space, especially when I wanted her to go around me, isa big no-no.

 After that, she intend nicely and it took only the slightest commands to get her moving forward. If she didn't respond to the cluck, I could barely lift the whip and she'd respond. Laura decided that it was best to end with that without me riding because I had gained Lucky's respect and she say me as her leader. It's always good to end when the horses finally get something or do something really well rather than push them too hard. There would be no sense in me riding her and asking more after she had done so well, so Laura decided to save it for another day. Soon, I might be doing a lesson with me riding on the lunge line with no reins to work on my balance and seat.

Practicing Lungeing

 Monday, I only lunged Lucky. I was pouring done rain all weekend, so Laura decided I would ride Wednesday instead. Since Lucky is a very sensitive horse, by lungeing her I can develop my lunging cues and position when lungeing her. Just by being a bit in front of the driveline, towards the middle of the horse where you stand when lungeing, Lucky will slow down. Laura was with me in the round pen to help and instruct me.

 Before starting, I stood beside Lucky, entry tossing the lunge whip over her back to make sure she would stand still and not be worried. When Laura got her, Lucky was afraid of whips. She's fine now, but it's good practice even if a horse is totally fine with them. Lucky didn't move at all, so I moved my left hand to the side to point her forward and gently tapped her shoulder to push her out on the circle. At first I struggled with finding the right position on the ground and staying there. I kept getting far in front of the driveline, which of course slowed her done. As she walked around me, I tried asking for a bigger walk and then for the trot. I did this by gaining more energy in my body, looking where I wanted her to go, and clucking, tapping the whip on the ground when necessary to reinforce this.

  I did lots of transitions because Laura does a lot of them to teach the horse to stay balanced as the gait changes. To return to the walk I relaxed in my body and gave slight squeezes to the lunge line when I needed to. I also changed Lucky's directions multiple times. To do this I pointed to Lucky's hip with the hand my rope was in, shortened the rope, and took a step back to encourage Lucky to draw into me. It took a while for me to get this coordinated, but I had a nice one at the end. Laura lunged her afterward with the side reins, and I stayed in the round pen to watch what Laura does more closely.

 I also lunged BB, the palomino mule, doing the same thing I did with Lucky. I sometimes had to tap BB's shoulder when she leaned in a bit,  and I actually started to notice thee subtle changes without being told. There were also a couple times when BB glanced towards us and offered to come in towards us. Knowing that BB was ready to listen, Laura said to watch for these moments and simple back off without pointing towards BB's hips to turn them. Sure enough, BB walked toward me when I invited her in.Laura said that I have good natural intuition("feel" as it is sometimes called) with horses, even if don't know a lot. I  just need to learn how develop it and use it.

 It was really great to be able to feel some of these moments and to practice lungeing. Lunging is a great and useful technique to learn and can help the under saddle things, too, as I have learned. Also, update n the mule that the vet came to see: the had an inflamed tendon sheath, which covers the tendon, and is now back to work. It was only a minor injury.

Lesson on Correct Posting Diagonal

 I had a fantastic lesson today in which I worked on posting on the correct diagonal. When I first started riding, however, Chester seemed a little off. He wasn't lame, but was putting one of his ears back, tossing his head, and seemed a little on edge. At first, Meghan though maybe is was because his ear hurt, but that didn't seem to be the cause. She soon decided to lunge him a bit as she thought maybe he hadn't been ridden during the weekend. Sure enough, that seemed to be the problem. Chester gave a few small bucks to let out the extra energy. Luckily he is a good horse and didn't do any of that when I was riding.

I love this picture! Beautiful.

When I got back on, I picked up the trot on a 20 meter circle. After a bit I started a figure eight so I could work on posting on the correct diagonal and changing the diagonal. At first, I rode Chester at the walk a couple steps in between the two circles, then picked up the trot. There were quite a few times where I was on the wrong diagonal, so I walked and fixed it.

Later on, I worked on holding my two point for a few seconds the walk. Soon after Meghan told me to ride a few steps of sitting trot, then explained that I should do the same thing to change my diagonal if I was on the wrong one.

Holding two point. I'm leaning a lot forward, but at least my heels are down. 

I also did an exercise at the walk in which I closed my eyes and said “up” when the outside leg when forward. This exercise confirmed that I have a good feel for when the outside leg goes up. I probably just rush into posting rather than sitting a step and waiting for the outside leg to go forward. To test this at the trot, I closed eyes during the transition from walk to trot and started posting only when I felt the outside leg go up.

Nice picture too!

Things were a bit better after that, though I still had to change my diagonal back to the correct one a couple times. By the end of the lesson, I had started to get a better feel for how posting on the correct should be like since I had been focusing on it the entire time. I just need to focus on it when I ride.

Bath time!

After cooling down by riding around the barn and paddocks, I untacked Chester and hosed him off to get the sweat off and cool him down. When I put him away and began leaving, he followed me until he reached the end of his paddock. He had also perked his ears up and walked over to me when I first went to get hims. I think he likes my already!

 Here's some pictures from today that I didn't know where to put.

Not a dressage test, but looks like with how square he is standing.

Cute!

January 4 Lesson Pictures

Here are some pictures from my latest lesson. I haven't been able to upload the video yet, but I hope to get it done soon.

While lungeing, I had to put my hands out to my side, on my head, and hips and such.

Hands on my thighs

Hands on my hips

After lungeing for a while, I trotted a serpentine so Meghan could see how much I had improved.