Don't worry Mom and Dad, I still don't want to be a horse trainer

Thanks to Kari, here are a series of pictures to show you what exactly I plan to improve on this summer.

Here is my leg not being good:

Here is my leg being good (maybe with just a tad more flexibility in the ankle):

Congrats Blog Reader, even if you know nothing about horses, you can now be my eyes-on-ground! I’ll buy you an apple fritter. 

I had jumping lessons on Tuesday. Ami started out very quick and tight but eventually settled down. She hadn’t jumped in two months, but after two quick, inverted trips down the grid of ground rails, I realized it wasn’t going to be the worst ride ever.  It was nice when I was told to shorten my reins, and I was about to ask “How do I tell when my reins are too long or her neck is too short?” and Tom said “I love her topline right now.” I actually started to be able to feel how things were going, and make adjustments with out hanging on her. 

I jumped Runoff, too.  My last lesson Tom disapprovingly said I didn’t have her between my aids enough, so I was surprised that I was granted the privilege of jumping her. If someone couldn’t have Ami between the aids, I would tell them that was the reason I wouldn’t let them jump her, but I am sort of mean like that. I warmed up with longer stirrups and shorter reins though, and didn’t feel like I had to get off the horse to run around the arena three times to think about my riding. Anyways, jumping Runoff was like “Oh, that’s what it’s like to have a horse wait and jump up to you? What a nice feeling. Oh, by the way, I’m not surprised I lived, but I am still glad I did, because this horse is rather gigantic” and otherwise uneventful and actually not worth writing about, but there it is.

Tommy was the last and third ride of the day. It was his fourth ride in over a year, his second ride off the lead rope. Riding him consists of riding a small circle on the grass behind the barn around Tom, changing direction and leg yielding out trying to get him to unlock his back. We trotted for the first time, and at the first transition he did a few quick, little jitter-skip steps, and that was his biggest bad thing. I eventually figured out he would have gotten me off if that his intention and started actually riding him, and things went much better than when I was being tentative (another life lesson to be seen here). He is a really sweet boy, and judging by the ride today I’ll be a much better rider after a summer of working with him. I feel at risk for getting very attached to him <3.

Here are the pictures Kari took. Thanks Kari!

Cuddling with the babies (3yo Jack on left, 2yo Tiger on right):

Long Lining Tommy:

My first time long lining Jack: 

I also did three hours of paid work today! Woo! I had a nice dinner with Tom, Deb, and their son Clay. Don't say you're hungry at this house, they over feed you. After dinner a moose ran across the field, and I couldn't find my camera. The end.