Watch where you're going

It sure doesn't sound that hard, but I still don't remember to look where I am going.

And it kills me!

Especially when it works so well. I was just trying to turns on the center line and ride all the way down it. The first time I was about two meters to the right, or something just as bad. Dada pointed out I was not watching where I am going. Next time I did watch where I was going, and it was perfect.

Actually, Dada said I was looking at my hands. I wasn't really. I think I need a dressage test because it was just that my mind was wandering. It's not that I am that good that I get bored on T, just that I forget to look ahead.

But it works so well. It is so cool how the horse seems to read your mind, so if you are looking ahead and riding in your head, the horse does it. Amazing!

I still need to work on my ankles, though. ankles. The right one was fine; the left one not so much. It twisted as I was getting on T, and I kept getting twinges throughout the ride.

Dada is thinking a brace might be the answer. I am not totally on-board with that idea. It seems a brace will keep my ankle from getting stronger. I want it to get strong enough without a brace, but if that is a hopeless dream, a brace would work.

Looking ahead

A really great lesson, even if T did spit up on me and Dada gave me homework.

I remembered that with the dressage saddle I am able to use my legs more to hold myself up, and I did. Usually I only remember about half way through the lesson.

Both Kate And Dada said how straight I was riding, not just left to right but also front to back.

The only problem was that T was acting a little hesitant when we were turning. I was watching my hands not where we were going so T was getting mixed signals. I need to look where I am going. Once I started, everything was awesome. We rode around the small ring at a good clip and threw in some stops and turns that T handled great, too.

Afterward Mom gave T an apple and T wanted to share it with me, I guess. She came over and spit it up on to me and my chair.

And then I got the homework. Dada wants me to make a riding resume and start looking for scholarships.

Jumping for joy

I'm not wobbling left or right anymore. The issue now is leaning too far forward. That and putting painful pressure on my ankles.

But I had a great lesson.

We solved the orientation problem by putting up dressage letters. It is not the right size for a dressage ring, but Dada was able to say: Turn right at the A, and I could.

We also went over a jump. Of course, it was just lying on the ground so I could have ridden my wheelchair over it, but it was my first jump. Next up: the steeplechase.

My ankles are a new problem. They normally tilt down, but the way I was sitting, my heels were down. So my ankles were just so sore at the end of the ride. I was trying to make a turn and just twinge of pain shot up my ankle and messed up the turn. I am OK for most of the ride, just the end was bad.

More photos are here.

Finding a comfort spot

It was a good right today but hot.

And it took me far too long to get comfortable on InfiniTy. I think it is the dressage saddle and different handholds. I like the saddle because it is thin enough that I can use my legs to hold on, but I didn't remember that until half way through the lesson today.

I hope we stick to one saddle for a while, but I am not so sure. Dada asked how I would like to ride another horse that is coming to board at Spirit.

I don't mind as different horses hopefully will just make me a better rider. But I am not sure why I am switching. I thought InfiniTy was supposed to be the one. Maybe Dada sees something no one else does or maybe she just wants me to ride a new horse for fun and experience. The latter, I am sure.

The ride seemed shorter than last week's because I got tired in the heat, but we rode some good patterns, some ugly ones, too. It is harder for me to understand Dada's directions than usual. I am not getting more deaf (I hope), but without the dressage letters I think it is harder for me to orient myself. I imagine it is harder for her to give the directions, too.

We'll survive. The real problem with the new horse is it is a male Colby Dylan, so I will have another "Blades of Glory" situation.

Finally, I'm leaning left

"You are sitting too much on my side."

So I start, as usual, to shift my body left. But wait! That was Dada speaking, on my left, not Kate, on my right. I never sit too far on the left. What is going on?

This was the second biggest surprise of the lesson. The first continues to be how motivated InfiniTy is. Dada actually had me slow her down once today. I didn't even notice she was going too fast. It was awesome.

We tried out a new saddle today, well, an old one that was new to T. It was a dressage saddle, which must be a lot lighter than the Australian saddle I was using. It has very few extras on it. No saddle horn or high seat back, for instance. But I rode well in it, very straight, Kate and Dada said. And circles were almost easy because T never slowed.

We even did one good figure 8. I messed up the second one, though. I think it is because I am still watching my hands and not where I am going. I know that skill will come back in time.

One thing I need to work on is my hands. Dada said to use the horse's neck to balance. So I am not straight if you look at me from the side. I am leaning too much, I think, because my wrists hurt after today's lesson . Also, it is harder to steer if your reins are not real short if you don't move your hands off her neck. More than once, Dada said, turn your horse or she will jump the fence we were headed toward.

But it was a great lesson! I felt like riding forever. Of course, the downside to this is I almost fell of when we stopped to dismount because I was tired. Oh well.