Playing with Harold and Lesson #3

Trotting over the poles!

Last Friday it worked out great for me to be able to go over and get my boy out and play with him. Once again I left the littlest stinker with the monitor close by taking a nap and headed over to get Mr. Harold with my middle stinker. (Biggest stinker is in school ;) )

I knew I wouldn't have time to ride so I just got him out and put him through his paces again. Before I grabbed him I went and got some poles to play with though! They are old round posts the brother in law used to hang Christmas lights on at his tree lot a few seasons ago so they were a bit weather worn, but they worked! I drug them through the rails and set them in a line off to the side so we could still use the round pen but also move over to trot over them when we wanted.

So I parked Shelby in the shade watching some kids youtube again (yup, she loves that thing! Although my data plan doesn't, sigh) and went and grabbed pretty boy. He was happy to have his cookie ;). But after I grabbed him and brought him back to the pen I started noticing he looked like he had the mange! Apparently, after consulting his masseuse, he is sensitive to the lavender he loves so much! Geesh. So I can let him smell it but no more topically. Boo.

Anyway I worked on his hindquarter and forequarter yielding, did some lateral flexion. Then we tried to do some of the sending excersise real briefly, but I think I am still confused about that one, haha. He was a very good sport about trying to figure out what I wanted though!

Sucha hunk!

Then I went onto the main event! First I lead him over them and then I let him out on the lead and had him go over them that way. Easy peasy, he has never had trouble walking over anything. When I first tried him out I found the weirdest stuff I could and he trucked right over it. We took down our old above ground pool and I had him walk over the top frame one time that is laying in the yard and he was like, whatever. Haha.

After that we moved onto trotting over it. That was a bit more interesting since he had a bit of trouble figuring out how to get through without hitting one, plus I had just guessed on the space in between. But he never got worried or upset, yeah!

About then the baby had woke up so that put an end to our play. As for pictures/video my two year old isn't quite as good at photography so these few pictures are about the only good ones I got, lol.

On Tuesday I had another lesson (squee!) and was put on a new mount (eep!) I was a little nervous because I had a feeling about who she was going to put me on, lol. London is the type of horse I usually have a bit of trouble riding. More go then woah, sensitive, a little higher strung. I am much more used to the complete opposite kind of horse so I have a little trouble figuring this type out.

Getting tacked up, had to use his saddle since he is so narrow

I had to figure out a few different types of tack that I have never dealt with before. One was a standing martingale and the other a flash noseband. I know what they are for, and their general idea, but have never put one on before so I kept having to ask the girl that helps out there for help, lol.

Finally got him set! I also finally got to meet our 3rd group member! She was super sweet and pretty close to both A and I's ability, although she may be a tad farther behind then us. I'd say it goes A, me, then K our new lady. She was riding Goldie that day. A was sick so she couldn't make it.

So this week we both kind of just went through the paces to get used to our horses. I had no trouble walking London and getting him to go on the bit, but trot was a different story. He has a huge stride and L kept telling me to post less, haha. I tried! And canter was UGH. He missed his right lead three times and then finally got it but also came with a crow hop because I apparently was trying to hard, lol. It was also very fast and bouncy! We did a bit more and then moved into the next ring to do a dressage test! FUN.

She walked us through it and then I volunteered to go first, lol. I didn't do too bad! I had him on the bit for a good bit of it and apparently she thought it went well because she texted me about an hour after lesson that I did so good! She's so sweet. Next week she said we will do a kind of combined training lesson. With jumping and dressage. SO EXCITED.

As for trailer news not much else has gotten done. I have hardly any time to work on it. Tuesday after work is lessons, Wednesday is church, Thursday I have a women's bible study, and Friday I am home but usually have small group bible study that night at my house so I focus on cleaning. 

I do think I've about got all the pressure washing done. Now we need to spray the rust killer on it and bondo the bad parts.

Well thats all for now!