The way to heaven is on horseback

I rode Gatsby yesterday (Saturday) and we had a really really good lesson! It would appear that last weeks riding wasn't just a fluke and that I can actually ride in an outline for an hour twice in a row! Can I make it three times though? It has taken me 3 years (roughly) riding at this stables that I am at now to get the feel of the outline and now that I have got the feeling it just makes so much more sense!  We started up warming up in the walk, making sure to move long and low, making sure that I rode off the track and making sure that I was riding straight. I had to make sure that Gatsby's neck was not overly bent to the inside because he was trying to pull on my right rein to block my contact with it. I have to give him credit that once I got him listening he was very good and very responsive. We moved up in to the walk work quite early as Gatsby felt really nice supple and loose through his back, he was responsive, forward and listening to what I wanted! Straight a...

Last night was my pony club bronze award training, it was really funny and a good evening was had by everyone filled with plenty of laughs! I was surprised by how easy what we need to do is, things like walk in a straight line, halt and carry on walking (on or off the lead rope). Then it also included knowing why it is safer when riding on the rode to go with an adult. Know different colours of horses and ponies, and how to untie a horse/pony.  The only thing that I really struggled with was the getting on receiving a leg up as this is something that I have not had to do in ages, (the joys of using a mounting block), in fact I haven't had to do it for four or five years. So that was quite funny but I was happy that I actually managed to do it, it proved to me that I can still do it, which I didn't think that I could do.  The actually test is next monday so I've got a week to go, but I am back at the stables on saturday and Thursday as I'm going up to help out w...

hi y'all well there's been no riding today unfortunately not sure when there next will be but hopefully there will be some soon as I am missing it like mad!  okay so today's thing that's got me thinking is... the horses Rhythm. Now to most people this doesn't sound that important but to us horse people it is a key thing when riding, whether when doing flat work or when Jumping.When Jumping it is Important to keep an even rhythm because it helps to set the horse up for the jump that is about to do and it doesn't make the jump appear to be sloppy. Also because if your horse keeps speeding up and then slowing down, it makes the horse unbalanced, which gives you more risk of knocking a pole down or of slipping out of canter (if that is the pace that you are in).  Another thing that I would like to mention is riding a straight line in a dressage test. When Gemma first started teaching me she spent two or three weeks making us ride a straight line which to st...