Two Rides in One Week, What?!

Actually if you count my lesson I got to ride three times! I know!

So I had a lesson last Tuesday which I blogged about. Then on Thursday I got a 'free' off day (the mother likes to come in once a month to do bills) and after I laid the littlest stinker down for her nap my middle stinker and I went out and played with Harold!

But first! I need to go back to the week before. That Wednesday I had a new farrier out like I said last post. The morning of Shelby and I went out and brushed mister Harold and played with him a bit. I tried on his new saddle and then we went for a short ride around the yard. It was fun!

My great little helper (little red wagon worked great for a stool!)

Princess Elsa on her steed!

She wanted me to ride with her so I hopped up behind and we went for a stroll

Look at all that awful bruising!

So anyway the saddle fits him okay. I will need some sort of correction pad though. A riser, half pad, something. I ride with a riser at L's barn and it seems to work well, I might try to find a cheap used one. It bounces a bit in the back and puts a bit too much pressure on his shoulders.

The gullet is wide enough thankfully though, as you can see the dry hair down his spine. 

Anyway, these pictures above are from the Thursday before last (I've been so slow blogging!)  when I got to ride. It was an AWESOME ride. I was so proud of him. I tried to get Shelby to video for me but it was turned to the selfie side and she didn't know how to swap it, lol. So I got a video of her face! ;) Anyway, I did get my oldest to take a video of our last ride! More on that later.

I tacked him up and did his ground work that way to make sure there was no trouble with the saddle. He was a rock star. Aced all his normal exercises we go through. So on to under saddle work!

So what I really wanted to focus on this ride was getting him used to some more contact on the bit, working on refining his steering, and a steady trot around the pen a few times while I was posting.

And we accomplished these quite well! I also introduced the emergency halt, where I pull the rein around to my hip and yields and stops. He got that pretty good!

Anyway I got to ride again that Monday. I had very limited time so I didn't do any ground work, just tacked him up and went. I could tell our 'connection' wasn't as good as it usually was, and was wondering if the lack of ground work had something to do with it. I believe it did, because I rode him again last Saturday and DID ground work and it was just as good as the ride before. 

Here we go round and round! I'm amazed how he just naturally strides out. Love this boy! He did good going around again at the posting trot, although still a little start/stop as you will see. He also needs more work on steering. He needs to learn that contact with the reins doesn't always mean stop. He's basically a greeny! He just followed a trailer his whole life before me. Knows pretty much nothing about ring work. But he is learning!

I also worked on his yield to halt again, this time adding a leg behind the girth to have him disengage his hindquarters. He was sticky at first but then picked it up pretty good. 

You go boy!

Well thats all for now! Will post next bout my last lesson and another great ride on Mister Harold. And some more 'new' things I've gotten! Until then!