Today I had a really good lesson on Gatsby, when I got there he was in his stable, so I bought him out and tied him up outside his stable, so that while I was grooming him Elaine could start to put some more shavings in his stable. The minute that we went outside and tied him up it started to snow, and the flakes kept getting bigger and bigger. I just kept grooming him and making sure that under his tummy more than anything else was clear, because that's the part that if I'm going to miss by accident I am the mostly like to. He doesn't like having it done but when told 'no' after an attempt to bite me he just pinned his ears at me and that was that. But he was really good cause after mum said 'no' he didn't try to again. Now that he's had the person out to have his back done he wasn't as cranky as he was when I tried to do his girth up which made me feel better!
When I got on he was raring to go so I decided to let him walk and while he was walking I took my feet out of my stirrups and sorted the length out as they were a bit to long for me (I have quite short legs) while we were moving. He was really good and had a nice active free walk, which made it a lot easier to move my hips with him. After warming up we moved on to doing some trot work and when he was working in an outline we decided that we were doing to do some trotting poles with him we only went over them a couple of times, but it got him to pick his feet up more as you will see in the pictures that I'll put at the end of this post. Then we moved on to the canter work, the transitions were so good! They were smooth unrushed and careful, he was really trying his hardest to do as he was asked today. He does get a bit head strong at times but when he does this I just gave him a firmer half halt and that really really helped! As we went on the canter became more smooth, relaxed and calm, like he wasn't rushing. I was really excited when on the first time asking for a canter I half-halted him and he was starting to drop into a really nice outline! But then he started to over think things and broke in to the trot. We finished on a good note with a smoother more collected and calmer canter as this was the most important thing! You could really feel him working today, Fiona has now set me a new goal of getting Gatsby to canter in an outline fully, this could become quite interesting.
My riding school is now an official pony club centre, so I should be starting Pony Club soon, I can't wait to do this as I know I'm going to learn so much. On Wednesday I am going to go and help at the stables and a week on Friday I have an own a pony day.
Here's some pictures!
Until Next Time
A girl with A dream
You guys look good :)
ReplyDeleteHow cool! I always wished I had done Pony Club!
ReplyDeleteYay Gatsby. Your going to love pony club!!
ReplyDeleteThanks guys! I really can't wait to start Pony Club and be able to learn more cause i know right now I can't afford my own horse, and being able to ride and have fun with Gatsby is just as good to me :)
ReplyDeleteHe's a handsome guy, y'all look great!
ReplyDeletehi amber, you look great on him, I like that you are sitting real straight and you are not looking down like lots of folk do. Also he looks like he is enjoying himself too. you are setting such a good foundation for owning your own horse one day - there is no rush to do that and you are a great example to other teenagers, yeay to you!!
ReplyDeleteThank you, I used to have a really bad habit of when I went over jumps or poles, looking down and pushing my toes down in stead of my heals, but at the minute I seem to have grown out of that habit :D Thank you for the compliments, I know without a car there wouldn't be much pointing in having a horse and right now I can't support one, but being able to ride Gatsby, and help out at the yard during the holidays is greaT :)
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