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!

Who wants to buy a mare?

Today was my Third ride on Sissy.

I saddled her up.

She patiently waited.

Here we are headed to the neighbors pasture to ride.

Whew! I am on....

and ready to go!

It was pretty uneventful while we were in the pasture.

We walked UP the hill and we walked DOWN the hill.

Sissy was not fond of going up the hill because that was "work"!

Then I was feeling pretty good, and my neighbor friend, "T", was talking about riding out further.

I said, sure why not.

So we go up to the corner of this pasture behind me, where there is a gate, into her place, and then a gate that goes out to the ditch. We have to ride the ditch to get to the top of the hill to ride around the circles.

As me and Sissy go through the gate,

I KNEW to keep my feet turned in, because I did not want to get them caught.

Well guess what?

Yep!

My foot caught part of the gate.

(it was a narrow gate).

Sissy,

SPOOKED!

and

BUCKED!

and

BUCKED!

and

BUCKED!

I was trying to grab the reins,

saying whoa,

and I kept getting tossed forward.

Couldn't find the frigging reins

cause everything was moving around as I

was being tossed around up there.

All I could think of was:

GRAB HER NECK!

So I did.

I slide off on the right side

to the ground, feet first.

SAFELY!

Whew!

Boy, were my legs a shaking.

of course, soon as my feet touched the ground she quit.

We get to the ditch.

I put Sissy on the down hill so I can get back on.

All was going well, and half way to our turn around,

A horse whinned at Sissy,

and Sissy whinnined back.

(I think the horse called her a bitch!)

because

It was all down hill from there.

We walked a bit further and within 20 yards of our turn around,

Sissy got it in her head that she wanted nothing to do with going forward anymore.

As I was urging her forward, she was backing up! Yep! Backing up as straight as can be, and

probably would of done it all the way home if I let her.

But not a good thing.

So I stopped her.

Circled her, and we were pointed for home.

By now, my nerves are very rattled!

I dismount!

My objective was to walk her home.

BUT.....

I thought,

I am not going to let her have her way.

So I turned her around, and we walked AWAY from home.

To our goal spot.

I had to borrow a rope halter from T because she just was NOT listening to me

with the bridle and reins.

We get to our stopping point. There is a metal bridge.

My stomache sank! (But I am braver on the ground.)

T walks her horse across first so Sissy can hear what it sounds like.

Then Sissy walks across it like she has done it a million times before.

(I am still on the ground walking-it feels good to walk)

We turn and head for home.

We walk a ways, and then I come to a spot to mount up again.

We start to walk, but Sissy is throwing her head,

dancing a jig, and I know if my whole attention is not on her, she is going to bolt for home!

So I get off again.

We walk the rest of the way home, thru the gate, and into the pasture.

I know I can't let Sissy get off to easy, so I position her on a down hill, again,

so I can get on her.

(Damn she is TALL!)

If I did not have her breeding I would swear she had draft horse in her!

We walk down the sandy part of the pasture, towards home.

She knows it. We stop a couple times.

We get to the corral, and my mind is telling me,

DO NOT let her off easy.

So I make her turn away from the gate.

She danced the jig, I turn her in a circle and walk away from the gate again.

She starts to side pass.

(I am NOT asking her to do this. I actually did not know she KNEW how to do this)!

We did many circles and walking away from the gate.

FINALLY,

When I felt her relax just the slightest bit,

I DISMOUNTED!

By now,

My nerves are frazzled!

My legs are weak!

I am TIRED!

I did all that I knew to do.

ALL I WANT is a damn trail horse, and if I miss out on trail riding this year

because of:

PISSY SISSY

I WILL TRADE HER OFF!

I love her because:

She does not spook.

For the most part, nothing bothers her.

(T's horse spooked several times and Sissy did not react to it.)

Today, Sissy did spook at a cat, but her spooks are more like a jump and step aside.

(No bolting. No running off because she is scared.)

She has a smooth gait.

I CAN make her do almost anything from the ground.

I have put in a lot of time and money to get to today.

She is not hyper, or high strung.

So I have a plan:

Tomorrow, I will saddle her up just like we are going to go ride.

I WILL be putting her bridle on OVER her halter.

Then I will take a lung line with me.

and we will do LOTS AND LOTS of lunges

and direction changes in these lunges.

OVER in the neighbors pasture.

Then IF and only IF I feel the time is right, or good,

I will ride her.

She knows I am boss on the ground.

I have to teach her who is boss while in the saddle now.

And this part is scary for me.

(Mostly because I do not know what to do)

Yes I could pop her on the butt.....

But I don't know if that would create a buck.

I do not want to ride with spurs

because I do not know how to use them, and I do not want to injure her.

If I got scared or something, I could gouge her.

I know she needed a good hard work out too, but

I am not comfortable trotting or galloping at all at this point.

I am OPEN TO ANY and ALL advice here, so feel free to interject some.

So Third ride,

not so well.