Video from January 18, 2010

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Here it is! Sorry it took me so long - I finally had enough time to post it.

If you watch carefully, when I go into the trot it was because Whitney (the horse I'm riding) spooked when some blankets began to tumble out of a bucket which you can't see. She didn't spook too badly, but started off in a trot and we where able to keep it going for a while.

Enjoy! - Hanna

Another Lesson and Pictures and *hopefully* Videos to Come!

You are probably all getting very tired of my riding lesson posts, huh?

Well, I wanna get all of the great ones written down so that one day I can go back and read them and smile as I sit inside my house and look out at all the great dressage horses in my barn. *lol*
I can dream can't I?

This Monday my mom and dad came to stand for an hour and watch me ride. The Karen and Anna R (some of the kids from youth group know who the R's are) and they brought their two horses, Buttons and Kurant. Buttons is actually a bay little pony, but her sire was a Clydesdale and so she looks like one more than anything else. Kurant is a breed that I can't remember off the top of my head right now, but she is also bay - though a very different kind - and she is lovely.

The R's parked across the road at Hopie's old house (some of you also know Hopie) and walked their horses across the road and into the indoor arena. Meanwhile, I tacked Whitney and mom and dad visited with the horses until I was finished. Then we walked to the arena too where Anna and Karen had already mounted their horses and where warming them up a bit while Mrs.Love lunged Whit. I waited for her to be done and then mounted Whit and we set off at a walk around the arena for a circle. When we came back around, a few blankets fell and made a little racket. Whitney - actually all of the horses - spooked a little and Whit started off at a trot so I figured I'd just let her at it and get it out of her system since it was a good pace anyway.


We trotted for a little while and then Mrs.Love had me get up in two point. Soon, all of the riders and horses where in a row, trotting around in circles and then she had us coming on the center line and half-halting. After we trotted a little more we where all to try a leg yield. A leg yield is when you have the horse just where you want them and their outside shoulder is on the rail and their rump in pointing out toward the center of the arena while still traveling forward. It is a pretty cool feeling, really.


So when I was done on Whit, Anna mounted her and I hopped onto Buttons. Anna cantered and trotted in turns and I mostly trotted Buttons. Her paces are so short that you have to post at lightning speed; or at least you feel like it. Later, everyone began urging me to try cantering Buttons. I did. To my surprise - it was fun! Except for the fact that I was constantly hitting myself on the pommel (anyone who knows what the pommel will probably groan with empathy)
it was great! Anna's saddle is a general purpose saddle which is not favored among those who were riding on Monday. *lol*


Anyway, we had a lot of fun and mom and daddy enjoyed it. Needless to say, I am sore in numerous places, but that is the price you must pay for fun. *hehe* I happen to have some vids and pics of Monday but I have to wait to post them until later tonight cuz they are on Daddy's phone.


-Hanna


P.S. - I'm gonna shock Mrs.Love on Monday and ask her if I can try cantering on the right lead this Monday and try leg yields at the trot on Whitney. She has been trying for two weeks now to get me to canter on my own. *lol*

My Lesson Yesterday...

Oh I had a great riding lesson yesterday!

Whitney was so good, just like last week and I had a great time although the inside of my thighs went numb a number of times. Despite the almost-whole-hearted-obedience attitude Whit has though out the lesson, she acts up near the end and after I dismount. She seems to think that you are her personal napkin after a ride. She's got something going on with her vascular vein and her left nostril has been leaking blood constantly. They have her on meds after doing something to it which Mrs.Love thinks might have irritated it even more so it's not getting better. It doesn't seem to bother her, but it does me. My breeches now have numerous light stains all over them from her wiping her muzzle all over me. I can't wait till I get darker ones.

Anyway, so I did mostly two point (standing in the stirrups while you ride) in trot which is not as easy as it sounds. You have to keep your legs in the right spot or if your horse stops, over the neck and head you go! Then you have to keep yourself straight up and your hands on the horses' neck like a jockey or jumper. Not my fave, but oh well.

So then we tried trotting poles (the same poles from a jump except for it's flat on the ground). The last time I tried them, I didn't have enough leg so I was either missing them completely or only going over the end or hitting them at an angle, which I don't want to do. But, this week I did have enough leg and we went straight over it in the middle...most of the time. I was still in two point went we where heading for it once and Whit had lengthened her trot a little too much. We got to it and she, instead of trotting over it, JUMPED over it! Granted, it was a very small jump, but a jump nonetheless.

So after she landed she went into a canter, nice and smooth though she was on the left lead - her stiff, arthritic side, not exactly the most comfortable. I kept my cool and two point which surprised me greatly since I've never jumped before in my life and only cantered once before off the lunge line. I wasn't holding the grab strap, just the reins and a bit of Whit's mane. I did, however, loose my stirrup. Pulling up Whitney and half-halting from the trot, I gave her huge pats and slaps and a treat from my pocket. Mrs.Love was so excited and praised me for not chasing Whit over the pole or hanging onto her mouth. I was so excited!

She jumped a bit later and cantered off once more, but that was not so lovely as the first time around. I practically fell off. But Whit, being the dam of three foals, treated me with patience and slowed and kept her cool as I lost mine.

Hey! First post of the year 2010!!!!!!!!!!
YYYYYEEEEEEEAAAAAAHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!