Smartest horse in town

I had a great lesson today. I used the dressage saddle with my toe stoppers. It makes me feel closer to T somehow, and the toe-stoppers make me able to push my heels down. They don't stay down, but …The only bad thing about the dressage saddle is I lean on T's neck so my arms get tired. I tried to stop leaning, but it was awful hard. I will keep trying, though.

Anyway, I did about 4.5 runs of my test. Yes, 4.5. on my fifth run I flopped on to T's neck and we decided to stop. Two of the big circles were good and two others were passable. Two serpentines were good, too. Three halts – the one bad one was because T stopped a little early. She is memorizing the test, too. That is so cool!

Vested

I did not have time or energy to change into my riding pants, so I felt OK about forgetting my camera. It was so rainy, too, that I did not even think I'd have lesson. But the rain stopped, and the ring was not slick, just a little messy.

Unfortuately, Dada got a real nice vest for us riders. It is just like one I wore when I started riding. It really keeps me steraight and I feel safer, too. I would have liked to see how I looked.

The riding was pretty good. The ring was not quite the right size, and I didn't know whether to ride the pattern the right size or try to match the ring. I mean, it the ring was 19 meters, do I make the big circle 20 meters in circumfrence asnd gto outside the ring or make it 19 meterts. I am still not sure. I'll ask Dada.

Testing surprise

Dada came up at the start of the lesson and said she had good and bad news. I think she exaggerated both.

The bad news was that we aren't riding in a show this weekend. The arena or whatever had no mounting ramp, and while I have mounted often without a ramp, it isn't worth it. Weather looks questionable. We did not have ride times; we were hoping for cancellations.

The good news was that there will be a show at Frying Pan Park. I am learning a tougher test for that show.

It is tough. A big circle, which always turned out misshapen, a serpentine, which I forgot how to ride until Dada said "Where are you going? Straight." It also had several other patterns I had not done in months.

I got it memorized so now I should do better, but it was a real workout of a lesson. I don't get sore, but when I am concentrating real hard, my mouth gets real dry. It was real dry yesterday, let me tell you.

Quick pic

Too tired to write about my lesson tonight, but it was good. Will write more tomorrow but here is a photo. And I am not pregnant. Also, no show Sunday.

Practice makes perfect, but waiting's good, too

Dada got lost on the way to lesson today. She called so we knew she was late; Mom even sort of gave her directions. I am useless on directions. What I did do was wait. Turns out that was just what the doctor ordered. I had a really good lesson.

I don't know if it was because I was relaxed or really ready to ride, but T and I did some nice work. It definitely helped to have all the right gear at the same time. I rode a Western saddle with regular stirrups but we had rubber bands. We also had two reins extenders. It felt good.

I think I am ready for the show May 18. I am still not sure when I am riding because we entered late. We actually may just ride to ride and be non-compete.

All this kind of made more rotten the news from the American Morgan Horse Institute earlier this week that I didn't get its scholarship. I was annoyed at myself until I saw the essay question I scored real low on: “List your competitive dressage accomplishments on a Morgan(s).” I don't have many ... yet. Not my fault.