Guess who is going to Rebecca Farm? This girl.

 Well, Tom and Deb were both gone this past weekend at a horse show on Whidbey Island. They got back late last night, apparently everything went well. Tom is leaving this Thursday for the weekend, and Jessi and I are taking off for a brief road trip to Montana that same morning.

Riding instructions were pretty clear when Tom was gone. Basically, try to not ride anyone in the arena, because horses are happier when ridden out of the arena. True story.

Siblings Ami and Tommy were the happy ones. Ami went on rides in the woods, including an epic trail ride with Dolly. It’s really fun to have a horse that doesn’t know it’s going above and beyond when faced with all sorts of things: really steep hills, brush, odd logs, creeks, etc. She goes along on a loose rein, picks her way over things, around things, past things, etc. There were a few moments, as Ami walked up or down a steep hill, under something or over something, or I thought the logging road was ending (apparently they never do) that I realized wouldn’t want to be riding any other horse given the circumstances.

Trail riding with Jessi makes me painfully aware that I didn’t grow up in Idaho. She knows her way around things, and the things around so intuitively. Both of us are lucky that Ami and Dolly are so game and chill, because otherwise we’d probably get ourselves into trouble out there. I’ve found some adventuresome trails on Vashon, and I am sure Jessi would laugh at them and just bush whack it, probably scaring the pants off anyone who asked to join us.

When Tom got back Ami and I had a flat lesson. Tom basically always incorporates at least two caveletti in his flat lessons. Today they were on the center line and I was counting steps in walk, trot, and canter between the rails on the ground, then after them riding straight, and at each end riding a sort of tear drop shape components of bending, straightness, and leg yielding. It’s a very different style, but it’s nice in a very basic way because you feel the horse get more consistent, or you don’t. No need to talk about how much or little it’s there. I feel like it’s a way of going about things that you would have to do consistently to see benefit from; just once or twice when you need a fresh idea for a horse wouldn’t quite cut it.

Tommy was ridden in the woods with Runoff as a trail buddy, and it was more like Tommy was Runoff’s steady trail buddy. Still, it was fun, and he enjoyed it. He used to have a hard time walking down a hill with me on his back because he hurt so badly, and now that’s a thing of the past. We did a little lesson today, just at walk, and he felt much more positive when we started, I assume because of the trail riding.

Cooper was ridden in the arena. His owner wants to sell him and wants me to ride him in the video, and I felt like the video would look better if I rode him in the ring a bit so we could get a feel for each other. I like how the video turned out. It’s not how I want to ride for the rest of my life, or how Cooper should go for the rest of his life, but for now it’ll do. He’s getting much better already. I should be able to have him be more forward and softer by next week.

I finally had a flat lesson on Cooper! I didn’t start out that positive. He isn’t easy right now and needs to solidify a lot of the basics. His canter can be so rough I have to focus on sliding across my saddle rather than pogo sticking on his back. I was worried about sitting his trot, and Tom sort of yelled “You’re not punishing his back!!!! You’re teaching him to let you sit on him!!!!!!!” We did the same exercise as Ami did earlier. He really got better, and by the end of it I was feeling a little “Wow, look where I got this horse!” Tom could say “Turn right. Straight. Turn right. Straight, turn left. Straight. Turn left” and Cooper would stay soft through all of that, changing his bend without losing his balance. Of course, I know there is a chance I’ll get on tomorrow and feel like selling my saddles, but I’m going to hang on to that more positive feeling, and keep telling myself about how easy horses are nice, but its ones like Cooper that teach you how to ride. As much as that sucks.

(Not from my lesson, but before we shot the video)

Well, two more days of riding before Rebecca Farm! We’re taking the old brown car (the one that got a pat on the hood once I got in my driveway on Vashon) to Kallispell, Montana for three days to watch the biggest event on the west coast. Squee. I’ve heard a lot about it, but it will be nice to see it. Also seeing two of my horsey/Pullman friends, which is super exciting for me, as I’ve been in the zone of solitude as I like to call it.