Something awesome amazing happened at the group lesson today. It made Erin’s day.
Lesson started. Flat foot walk for a while and next a few rounds of fox trot. I whine about the fox trot because someone has been training my horse and this fox trot is wonderful! I’m in Heaven! I don’t need a bra! Who has been training my horse! Note: Fancy has been in full time and now part time training for several years with Erin Patterson, a Super Hero.
Fancy has had nearly two weeks vacation at home. I forgot how to ride until I got into the saddle today.
Erin instructed Fancy to work on obeying my hindquarters yield cue. She resisted and said, “Susan doesn’t own my hindquarters.”
We practiced leg yields and hindquarters disengagements.
Erin instructed, “Canter in circles”. Fancy wanted to switch leads, but I insisted, “No, not till I ask.” Fancy sighed internally and decided not pop me out of the saddle today trying to switch leads on only front legs or back legs.
Erin further instructed, “Canter larger circles. Better, much better.” Fancy lost all desire to experiment with her leg placement.
Next Erin asks, “Ask for a more refined canter.” Fancy obeyed my hands cues on the reins. She was now cantering in balance instead of being strung out. We got to stop and breath oxygen. I would have taken off my long sleeved shirt to cool down, but riding in your bra is against the arena rules. After our brief rest, Erin said, “Now, do a left to right flying change.”
We have discovered, riding a circle thru the middle is tough because Fancy tries to change before I ask and before her body is in the correct position. We did an arena size figure eight.
FANCY DID A FLYING CHANGE WHEN I ASKED!
Erin and the group lesson people nearly fainted. I about died.
We are not done, but took a break for Erin to set up a pattern.
There’s a big quarter horse sho coming up. The Pattern has one flying change. We lesson people walk the intricate pattern.
It time for Fancy and I to perform the pattern. Fancy walks over poles, goes into the flat foot walk. Pattern calls for extended trot, which is a fox trot for us. We serpentine, we canter, we do extended canter (speedy canter), 1 1/2 spin…trot off, go thru a fake gate. (No more gates because of touching something!).
Pattern requires a figure eight canter with flying change right to left. Fancy did a flying change when I asked! Group lesson people screamed. Erin clutched her heart. I was still cantering and asked for extended canter down the rail and ended with a slide stop.
Erin said, “ You got a left to right and right to left flying change. This made my day. You should probably quit now and rub her.” I did. The full realization hit me. She did both flying changes when I asked! Both. of. them. when. I. asked. I haven’t rode Fancy for nearly 2 weeks. It happened. I wondered if someone had switched me to an alternate universe! Maybe I died and went to horse heaven.
I’m still alive to write what happened this afternoon! I seem to be in the same universe.
Who is this horse? Who am I?