Progress Journal

10th April
Well I haven't ridden a lot lately, I have been a bit busy. Today I had another lesson. I rode Sammy while my trainer rode Apache during my lesson. First I had a go at lunging Sammy and he went fairly well. Then my trainer lunged him for awhile and he chucked a few hissy fits but otherwise went very well. Then while I held Sam and checked his tack, my trainer lunged Apache. He was good at a walk but did a few bucks and tried to be intimidating to avoid having to trot but trottted eventually. After lunging we both got on and walked around a bit to see how the two would act when ridden together. They were pretty good except Sammy kept practically trying to walk on on top of Apache. I had to keep making him move over. He didn't even learn his lesson when Apache went to bite him. They were pretty good, Apache was suprisingly well mannered about it. We did a lot of walking and trotting. Sam was soft and didn't brace against me once though he did try to rush a little. My trainer got me to work on some sitting trot. Now that took a lot of work. When Sam was keeping a steady pace my trainer said I was doing very well. When I got off later I nearly fell over because my legs were like jelly. My thighs and tummy lol were aching a lot. Anyway my trainer also said Apache was quite good if a little lazy about going. She said he was pretty easy to get going except for his one hissy fit down near our dam. We were just about to go around the dam when he started to back up and wouldn't go forward then did a little rear then a little pigroot. He soon found out this wasn't going to scare her and it just meant harder work then going forward so he walked on. He was good for the last few minutes of our ride and we will see how he goes next time. I am very happy about today's lesson.

13th April
Ok I haven't been on for a few days. Well today I had another riding lesson. They just seem to fly, I have a lot of fun. My trainer lunged Apache before we got on and he was being a (hmm nice word) booga. He kept rearing and bucking/ kicking out after he did one full circle she stopped on the good note. We then got on for our ride. Sammy was very excited and forward for the whole ride. Apache was quite the opposite. Sammy kept trying to break into a trot if we were walking or a canter if we were trotting. He was listening but only just he seemed to be having one of his hypo days. He did quite well except for trying to break gait. This stopped when I got him to keep the gait up for more then a couple of strides then he wanted to slow hehe.

Apache on the other hand was being a right booga for the first half of the ride. Almost every couple of strides he was trying my trainer out to see if he could get out of it. Pigrooted quite a bit, reared (small ones) a couple of times and I think he just bucked a couple of times. He soon realised she didn't care it just meant more work so he stopped trying it. She even cantered him around quite a bit. She commented that he has a very nice slow big strided rocking horse canter. Apparently it is much nicer then his trot haha. I wouldn't know because when I rode him I never got him past a trot. This is making me want to ride him much more now. I might get on him again soon. My trainer thinks he could be quite good and he will probably test her out everytime she gets on for a while but eventually he should settle down when it doesn't work. Yay!
See what happens next time I suppose.

18th April

Ok I have been busy lately and today it was lightly raining all afternoon so annoying. This afternoon I still went out and worked with apache a little bit before feeding them. I took Apache out and lunged him a little on both sides at a trot. He was good for the most part but occassionally tried to run away from me. I then stopped and did some backing up and moving off pressure with him. He was very light about it all which I was quite suprised about when it came to backing up usually he is quite aeguementive about it. I then did a little more lunging with him on both sides again at just the trot. He was ok but had moments of laziness and tried to break into a canter and take off once. On his bad side he tried to avoid going faster then a walk but wasn't bad as usual when I made him do it. I have a few photos because my friend was there to take them. Just incase anyone is wondering why I'm wearing a helmet but not riding, he tends to kick out when he doesn't want to do something so I would rather have a bit of protection

19th April
Well I had a pretty good afternoon although I feel bad for my poor Sammy. My friend is over again and she was riding little Pepper who was being a saint for her the little cutie. I was riding Sam who I lunged first and he was quite good on one side then on the other side he simply wouldn't move so I kept going until I got one full circle of walking out of him then let him stop on my terms. When I saddled Sammy he tried to all out bit me twice but I told him no and he didn't go any further. Usually he is a bit funny about his girth being done up only when tied up though. So I thought maybe he was just pushing it. Then when I got on I walked around for awhile and he was being quite forward. I asked him to trot and he rushed it straight out then tried to stop within a couple of strides. So I got him to walk around a heap more. I then asked him to trot some more. Whenever I asked him to trot he was very reluctant about it. He was being quite different. Normally especially lately he won't object light contact at all but this afternoon the moment I started to trot he would drop his nose right down to the ground almost pulling me out of the saddle several times. This isn't something he would normally do. He only started to do this when I was trotting not walking. Also I'm not sure why but he would do it more when I was posting rather then when I was sitting the trot. Eventually I stopped trotting and just walked him around a lot. When I got off I felt down his back (because I was suspicious) and he kind of sunk under my hand when I got to this one spot so now I feel really bad for riding him. I'm now going to get someone out to see him.

Then I decided to do something with Apache. Whenever my trainer gets on him for a ride he walks off on her. So this afternoon I decided I would work with him on that since my friend was outside with me. (normally I'm by myself unless its a lesson) I saddled him up my friend just held on to him loosely with a leadrope otherwise I was kind off the only one holding him. He didn't try to move once when I got on the three times. The first time (I forgot how tall his is compared to the other two) he stood there then I got him to flex both ways. I then got off. When I got on the second time I just sat there for awhile then got off the "wrong" side just to see what he would do and he couldn't care less. I then led him to a different are and got on him again and he was good so we got a photo. I then got him to turn around and walk back to where I saddled him (with my friend walking beside him). He didn't chuck a hissy fit once, even though I know I wasn't asking much of him but it made me very happy. I haven't been on his back for at least 4 or 5 months. When I stopped riding him I was almost terrified to get on him, I dreaded riding lessons. Now when I got on today I didn't feel nervous at all, in fact I actually feel excited about the thought of riding him again. I know I didn't do a lot with him but I felt like this was big step for me .

Now for the picture my friend seems to have great timing. I had just been leaning over patting him and was talking to her when she took this. Had just kind of straightened up lol. Also this is from my phone so a little blurry.

That is awesome. Isn't it great when you get your confidence back. You are doing a great job.

Yes it definitely is good to get my confidence back. I'm definitely still a nervous rider compared to some but I feel much more confident now. I feel I can thank Sammy and Pepper for that. Neither of them rear, buck or pigroot like Apache but they both do their own silly little things that make me confident when I get through them.

Welldone it is a great feeling to get your confidence back

Thank you

Love your horses

Thanks me too. I think your Buzz is gorgeous as well!