My manhood survives trotting intact, slightly squished

Today was a good ride, even if we could not find the reins extensions that enable me hold the reins easier.

What Dada did was string the one extension across T's neck between the two reins. It was perpendicular to the reins, and I held just that. It worked quite well, except when I turned could not pull the reins toward me. I had to pull them down.

Kate was with us today after missing last week. She reminded me to look forward so I did a little. I think that helped a lot with the circles I rode. I have a tendency to cut them short, not sure why, but the last ones we rode were good.

Dada reminded me to use my legs, which I did remember a lot but forgot when I was making circles.

We also did a fair bit of trotting, more than usual anyway. It felt pretty good and I did sit straight throughout it. I don't post so the bouncing up and down on the saddle was a little, well, uncomfortable.

I even did a tiny bit of unsupported trotting. Dada wanted me to be able to stop a trotting T, so she got her to trot and had me stop her after a few steps. I did it fine, but I was so tempted to let the "few steps" last longer and longer. Manhood be damned; trotting i fun.

Straight as an arrow

Go ahead, look at that picture and tell me I don't look good. I dare you.

It was my first cold weather ride, which for me means it was below 55. i wore long johns under my riding pants and my jacket and scarf, and I was quite comfortable. The scarf adds to my dashing look, too.

At the start, Dada pointed out I am not sitting as straight as I had been. I had been leaning forward a bit much. I thought she had told me to lean forward -- I actually feel more comfortable sitting straight.

T seemed to like it, too. She was walking really great. After we were warmed up, we rode through a series of cones. That went really well. She was keeping a rhythm and we were turning this way and that. It was great.

I remembered to look up sometimes -- it is easier to look ahead when I am riding a test because I know what is ahead. In practices, I have to pay attention to Dada and Kate (although she wasn't there today) and other stuff. Competitions are almost easier than practices.

I did remember to keep squeezing and releasing my fingers on the reins so T remembers I am in charge. I don't know if it worked , but she was good with the turns.

I have to work on my walking rhythm. Dada said I don't have to squeeze hard into T's sides to encourage her to walk, but I do need to squeeze in a rhythm. My legs aren't used to that.

But it was a great lesson.

This is competition, not therapy

Thankfully, those words came toward the end of the lesson, not the beginning; otherwise I'd have been scared.

It was a beautiful day to ride, and T was quite energetic. Dada said that winter is a great time to practice rhythm and not worry about the movements. That's OK by me, it was so nice to ride up there on T and move my legs in unison with her's.

We did a few small circles, and they were pretty good, at least when I heard Dada tell me to do a circle. A few times I did not hear her so rode straight, then tried to turn sharply when I realized I missed a command.

The big issue today was my left ankle. Dada says I have no strength in it, and she kept lowering the left stirrup to keep me from putting weight on the left side.

It seemed to me that I kept pushing down on the left just to reach the lowered stirrup. And more than once my foot came out of the stirrup.

Dada wants me to wear a brace on that ankle at least. I will, but I sort of wish I wasn't. My ankle will never strengthen if it has a brace.

But as Dada pointed out when I raised this concern: "This is competition, not therapy."