Reading Material to Help Me Learn to Ride.....

You can get the book here.

I also want to take this opportunity to THANK EVERYONE that

has commented on my posts about SISSY MISSY and PISSY SISSY!

ALL your comments have been very HELPFUL!

Reluctant Cowboy

KarenV

Laughing Orca Ranch

Gail

Cactus Jack Splash

Jocelyn recommended this book to me, and so

I not only bought this book, which is book number two,

I also bought the original book Sally Swift wrote by the same title.

I have been reading the books, (only because I got book 2 in the mail first),

and right now I am only still in the anatomy of the body and how the 

Foot bone is connected to the

ankle bone, 

and the ankle bone is connected to the 

shin bone, 

and the shin bone is connected to the,

knee bone, 

(Well you know how it goes....)

Anyway, I can't wait to get to the nuts and bolts of Centered Riding.

I do not dare skip a word though, because I might miss something 

very important.

So far all of what I have read,

MAKE PERFECT SENSE!

This helps out ANYONE that rides. 

These books are not just for beginners.

Because I have been reading this book, 

is most likely why I stayed in the saddle on my 

Trotting lesson!

LESSONS! LESSONS! LESSONS!

Ok, First...MY APOLOGIES for taking so long for a post. 

Just that time slips away so quickly, and with the time change

we are busier than normal.

Don't ask me, doing what? because I could not tell you. 

At the end of the day, I know it was a busy one, and I am tired!

Anyway, after getting quite dissapointed in PISSY SISSY, I finally am back on the 

schedule to take lessons.

YEAH!

Last Tuesday was my first lesson in two years.

The first round of lessons, gave me the knowledge to work Sissy from the ground.

She listens to me 99.9% of the time from the ground.

NOW....my lessons will consist of Riding and getting Sissy to listen to me from the saddle!

Here we are at my first lesson.

We only did walking and changes of direction.

These pictures are from my second lesson.

Sissy appears to be paying attention as well. 

This lesson was geared towards trotting!

Oh Boy!

(Excuse me, while I clear the room. One of the dogs just passed gas, and it has taken all the oxygen OUT OF THE ROOM!)

Ok, I think I can breathe now....

My instructor (Click for her web page.) is just awesome!
She is very patient with me, and knows how to teach.

So my second lesson consisted of 'Trotting'!
Yep!
Me?
I was so nervous. I know that the trot is a very hard thing to accomplish,
and I was afraid of being bounced out of the saddle.
But I got better, NOT GOOD, but better.
At least I stayed in the saddle, and that was one for me!
Sissy could even anticipate when the time came to trot,
and I would only then have to say, "trot" and she would do it.
By the end of the lesson, though we walked around the arena, so that
Sissy would not anticipate all the time.

At one point I was giving her mixed signals and we were all over the place.
She does have a good WHOA which I am thankful for.

Then at the end of our lesson, my friend that went with me, her daughter and her horse
came down to the arena, and Sissy, being the little socialite she is,
started to act up, because she wanted to see her 'buddy', and
my instructor guided me through some circles and had me stop
with Sissy's back to them.
Nice and quiet!
Sissy did not even care after that.
I was so thankful that this happened at my lesson, so that I know what to
do the next time.

At one point in the lesson,
I was stopped,
sitting on Sissy,
my instructor asked me what my goal was.
I told her that it was to ride Sissy by the fall, comfortably.
"BUT", I said, "I won't ride in the wind, or rain."
She gives me a funny look and said,
"Sissy does not know when it is windy out, or when it is raining.
It is just a part of her environment and if I ONLY ride when the weather is nice
then "I" am teaching her she can't ride in the wind and rain."

It all made so much sense to me that I just cracked up laughing so hard.
Really tickled my funny bone, because she was RIGHT!

I was teaching my horse to be a fair weather rider!

It is not like I have to go for an hour ride in the wind and rain,
she told me,
just a 15 minute ride would work,
but I was to get out there and ride, ride, ride!

So, I have not ridden since my last lesson!

But I will! The weather has been pretty windy!

I just do not feel comfortable as of yet, to just go get on her.
But I will! I KNOW I WILL!
The day is around the corner!

Pay it Forward Craft Exchange CHALLENGE!

I have finally received my gift from Deanna Miller over at: "Deanna's Blog" 

She sent me the cutest coasters made in fabric of my favorite colors, of reds, pinks, purples, and oranges.  It is really amazing because when she had asked me what my favorite colors were I sent her a list because I like them all!  Well I'll BE, if she didn't go and find material with ALL those colors in it! 

Now aren't those just the prettiest?

I thought this would be quite fun to do. SO.....I have something special to send to the FIRST THREE bloggers to leave a comment............IF...you are one of the first three to comment you will need to follow these instructions.....So read carefully......

1. Be one of the first THREE bloggers to leave a comment on this post, which then entitles you to a handmade item from me.

2. If you are one of the first three to make a comment, you are a winner! And you then agree to post this challenge on your own blog, meaning that you will pay it forward, creating a handmade gift -anything!- for the first THREE bloggers who leave a comment on YOUR post about this giveaway!

3. The gift that you send to your 3 friends can be from any price range and you have 365 days to make/ship your item. This means you should be willing to maintain your blog at least until you receive your gift and have shipped your gifts. And, remember it’s the spirit and the thought that count!

4. When you receive your gift, blog about it! If you are not one of the first three to comment on this post, you can still play along. Go ahead and start your own Pay It Forward chain, and encourage your blogging friends to do the same! It's all about paying it forward.

Please make sure you send me a valid e-mail address to my e-mail at hrhjody at gmail dot com once you comment so I can get addresses. If you are not one of the first 3 to comment, comment anyway if you post this on your blog, so I can check it out! I am always in search of new, fun blogs to read.

Update: SISSY MISSY

Yeah she has many names!

But today

I gear her up.

Tried a different bridle on her today

because she tosses her head so much in the other one.

Today we go out to the pasture.

I point right, she walks right.

I point left she walks left.

She did NOT throw a fit today!

Yes she tossed her head a few times,

but it was not a PISSY toss.

I checked her bridle and the bit

was not correct in her mouth.

I could not get the buckle undone to tighted it up

and I think the bit was bothering her.

She paid attention to me the whole time.

We did several changes

Right, Left. Right, Left.

Then my back was hurting so much,

We ended the session.

So, we TIPPY TOED all the way home.

I walked so slow....

I thought,

"Gee, Sissy could walk with an old lady with a walker!"

Yes we did.

Ever so slowly. We even went down the drive way,

Just so it was not a straight shot to her pasture.

Walking slow.

Once in the pasture,

we still walked slow.

It felt good.

So today was a good day all around.

Now, I need a trainer to

TEACH ME HOW TO BE THE BOSS IN THE SADDLE!

Physical teaching!

I can read all there is to know.

But I need to be shown.

Like Collection.

HOW the heck is that done?

So I will be looking for a trainer to work with.

I admit it!

I NEED RIDING LESSONS!

Update on PISSY SISSY!

Yep! She has earned a NEW NICK NAME!

PISSY SISSY!

Today,

(Sorry no pictures. Hard enough to handle a lunge line, carrot stick and an Pissy Horse.)

I walked out to the pasture to get Sissy.

Usually I have to walk up to Sadie, halter her, and walk into the round pen.

But today.....
Sissy let me walk up to her.

So I haltered her.

Sadie stayed in the middle of the pasture.

Sissy and I walk over to the tack room, and I gear her up.

This time, I leave the halter on under her bridle.

Sadie does not even come over to check us out.

Sissy and I walk to the gate. Sadie stays where she is.

As we walk out the gate, there is an air of 'tude' with Sissy.

She is doing nothing. Walking nicely beside me,

but I get the feeling that she is thinking:

"OH BOY! We are going to have some fun, and I am going to show her who is boss"!

We get to the neighbors pasture.

She is getting ansy, and is wanting to go.

I switch out the lead rope with the lunge line.

Then I point and ask her to go to the right.

She just looks at me with disbelief!

I wave my carrot stick, and she goes into a HUGE tantrum!

Backing! Throwing her head! Not really raring but lifting her feet off the ground.

I insist. GO RIGHT!

I collect the line, because she is throwing such a fit, that the more I tug, the more she tugs, so I let it out.

She stops.

I point right.

She stands there.

Decides she WANTS to go left!

I tug on the rope.

Point right, and wave my carrot stick.

She gives in...FINALLY!

She is trotting quite fast, shaking her head up in the air.

I let her run.

Get dizzy....

Don't let her slow down.

She keeps going.

She is so pissed and I am so dizzy, that I finally just lift the rope OVER my head instead of turning with her.

She notices, but I make her keep going.

About 20 laps later, she looks at me and starts to stop. I push her on.

I WILL DECIDE WHEN YOU CAN STOP!

This is our dance for the next half hour.

In both directions.

She does finally give to me, and will walk when I ask, and trot when I ask,  in either direction that I point.

When all is good, we head back to our house.

She knows we are going home.

She gets ansy.

I am thinking...GOSH I AM ALREADY TIRED!

But gotta make it so she is not to happy to be home.

Once again, in OUR pasture this time.

Left than right.

She finally does it when I ask.

I left the lead rope by the gate, and in doing the circles and "C" shapes

we were quite a way from my lead rope.

I make her stop.

TWO EYES.

I back up.

She follows, OUTSIDE my hoola hoop space.

She is not sure.

But will follow.

I pick the lead rope up.

Put it on my shoulders.

Then I look at Sissy,

then, I MARCH right into her,

Arms moving, Stepping high, swinging that carrot stick.

She is taken by surprise.

It takes a smack with the stick on her chest, and finally she gets it,

that I want her to back up.

She does so. Quite Nicely infact.

ALL THE WAY TO THE ROUND PEN!

A GOOD 50 yards!

I untack her, and she hangs with me. I brush her cheeks,

chin, and all over her face, because it was sweaty and itchy.

She loved that.

She even followed me when I left the pasture.

So I know she is not mad at me.

TODAY WAS GOOD!

And even better was:

SADIE ONLY WHINNIED TWICE AT SISSY!

So Tomorrow......

Sadie gets some exercise!

If I have enough stamina I will work both horses.

I figure a good three days of this type of work out.

Or should I do more?

I never once got scared of her.
I am totally confident on the ground with her.

I have to teach her that I am boss in the saddle, and I lack that knowledge.

I am not a confident enough rider to trot or gallop her to punish her.

Or smack her on the butt either, because I don't know if that would create a buck or two

if she got pissy.

So AGAIN, any interjections here will be greatly accepted.

All your comments last time, gave me the courage to get out there today, and that

what I planned on doing was the right thing.

AND: IT WORKED!

THANK YOU SO MUCH MY BLOGGER FRIENDS!