Fancy Returns Home

June 2, 2022Posted inFancy
Fancy spent over a month in training with Erin Patterson while my husband was in hospital and nursing home.  Fancy expected a vacation homecoming.  Susan expected and got a compliant smooth gaited horse with great cantering, great stops, great leg yields etc.  Thank you Erin! Fancy suffered today from too much riding.  Instead of a home vacation, she was ridden. She wants a phone so she can call horse abuse hot line. I rode in an indoor arena, no fan. It was hot and stuffy in there. I rode outside…

Forty Degree Temperature Change – Winter to Instant Summer

March 20, 2022Posted inFancy, Flying Change
Fancy ride in another 40 degree temperature change day..from 30’s to 75 degrees. My first goal was passenger riding faster than a walk for ten minutes.  We did five minutes before she froze in place when the pigs made noises.  She did stay out on the rail at the very last two minutes before she froze in concern at little piglet noise from their pen just outside the arena. Note:  Passenger Riding means human stays on the horse and horse decides where to go in the arena.  Horse always starts…

4.8 Mile Solo Trail Ride

March 6, 2022Posted inFancy
A horse in my past life evidentially made me afraid to ride outside of an arena.  I’ve conquered that fear down to “ride outside with other people”.  I first became aware of my new found freedom from outdoor fear last month when I rode Fancy around the neighbor’s property.  The realization of what I had done had not "hit me" until later in the afternoon. On this day, I agreed to ride at a nearby park with other people, good solid people who are safe to ride with.  I arrived…

Best Bridleless Ride

March 1, 2022Posted inFancy, Flying Change
  Look at that front leg reach,swish of the trail…perfect foxtrot! We started with a bridle and did the gaits, leg yields and a repeat of yesterday’s reining pattern, but slow motion at a flat foot walk. I took off the bridle.  We practiced doing leg yields without reins.  I’m remembering Velvet now.  Velvet and I did leg yields bridleless, in one direction with it being difficult the other direction. Ah, the memories… When we were resting, I remembered sidepassing.  We experimented with bridleless sidepassing. I had a neck rope…

BFO with Fancy and Flying Changes!

February 28, 2022Posted inFancy, Flying Change
BFO (Blinding Flash of the Obvious) Day! Our group lesson was over and I’m driving truck and trailer home with Fancy. I had fun today. Fancy and flying lead changes are more fun than a barrel full of monkeys. Yuck I don’t think a barrel full of monkeys would be fun. Hmmm, where have I had more fun than this today? FUN? The only thing I can think of are the times when I’ve been in the middle of a group being loud, obnoxious and dribbling spittle. Why yes, my…

Consistent Flying Changes!

February 21, 2022Posted inFancy, Flying Change
Words Matter!  I heard the following words today in the group lesson from Erin Patterson, “Susan, you are getting consistent flying changes now both with counter canter and figure eight.”  I am to lean forward and be a Yahoo Cowgirl enthusiast. I did lean forward today! I asked Erin twice to repeat the consistent words.  When I was absolutely certain, she said those exact words, I fainted and fell off Fancy.  (I fainted and fell off  in my mind.  I could see me down there in the arena dirt.)