Saturday, December 15, 2007

Tidings of comfort and dressage

No lesson today, but I did ride a little in SPIRIT's first holiday party. It was pretty fun.

I rode last with one little girl, who Dada hopes will soon be riding dressage. Not that it is a competition, but she'll be better than me no doubt.

The best part was that I rode totally alone for part of the ride. Dada led me into the ring and then away I went while she stayed at one end of the ring. I think I did two or three rotations around the ring before Dada started walking with me again.

That time with just T was precious. It was just us, and she kept moving, and I remembered to keep squeezing my legs. I will ask Dada if we can do that more often when I ride next.

I also tried to smile, not that I really have to worry about looking cute because I am adorable. But I watched a local ice skating program last week and the one I liked best was the performer who looked like she was having the most fun.

The other cool thing about the ride today was that the little girl and I rode up the center line next to each other and then turned opposite directions at the wall. Best of all, it worked and we looked like we knew what we were doing!

Happy holidays!

Sunday, December 02, 2007

Not relaxing, but still good

Yesterday's ride was a new experience, not bad. It was fun, just definitely new.

First, I was without Kate, my friend and the woman who has been helping Dada with me almost since the start. In a recent scholarship application, I called her my assistant trainer. It's not like I haven't ridden without her before, but this time I know she won't be back next week. Kate is taking a deserved break from SPIRIT. I can't wait till she comes back.

Whitney, another instructor, helped us mount and was with me for most of the ride. She and Dada traded riders because two people were having lessons. For a long time, Whitney was just a name to me, someone I liked and talked to a little by email because she and her husband had provided plane tickets to get me to my first real competition out in Colorado. It has been a pleasure getting to know her better, and we had a nice ride yesterday.

I was going to write "nice, relaxing ride," but it wasn't too relaxing. After I got on T, we realized that the neck strap that I hold had not been put on and it was too late to add. We finally took the reins extender I use and attached that to clips on the saddle for me to hold. That worked, but then we had no reins extender for the reins. I had to use regular reins and let me tell you, tough, tough, tough.

One side of the reins was usually longer than the other, so T was confused about turning, but she did her best, which was quite good. She was even better when one of the volunteers started walking in front of her, not leading her with a rope but just giving her a path to follow. I was pretty unstable, but Whitney kept her hand on me so I felt safer. I think I made Whitney and T nervous.

Whitney and I talked a lot as I rode. It really helped figure things out, like why I don't always use my legs to motivate the horse. Part of it is I hold on with my legs, but part of it is T moves so well usually, I just forget till T stops. By then, it is too late. I did look up sort of, because I was trying to watch the rein-length and that is kind of forward.

It was nice, and it's always fun to be on a horse. I am even a little sore, not very. But even a little is a rarity. I always wonder if I need to really push my limits because I am not usually sore. But then I remember my 2-plus year streak of not falling. I have no desire to tumble off T because I am tired.