Country Frank’s Lucky Star

It's been a while since I've updated everyone as to how Lucky is doing.  I was a little discouraged this past year, starting in June, when I still didn't have a ridable horse to show.  "When or will I ever have a horse I can ride in a show arena!" I was moaning in my mind.  I had been at the Missouri Fox Trotter Spring Show cheering on the Vaughts with Nova, Powder and Tony.   I was at the Super Horse Show the next weekend and temptation overcame me.…

I've been out of commission for five weeks.  For the first few of those weeks, I could barely make it out to the barn.  Horses did fine.  They have plenty of grass and water. Lucky has had five weeks of being Mr. Dominant Boss of the world.  "I'll move when I want.  I am boss of the world, sun, moon and solar system." Today, I've been declared officially well.  My first day to ride.  Lucky and me.  Lucky having a tough time doing three correct hind quarter turns.  That's one…

Western saddles have a seat defined by the cantle and the pommel.  The cantle is the owner of the saddle horn.  The pommel is the owner of the back of the seat.  When you swing a leg over your horse to sit on a western saddle, the pommel and cantle gently guide your seat into the correct position on the saddle.  "Plop" and you are seated where you are meant to be. Today, Lucky Star and I borrowed a dressage saddle.  Dressage saddles have no saddle horn.  That's what I…

Three of us fox trotter people in the group lesson were assigned to ride three abreast...noses lined up.  We were instructed to go at a flat foot walk.  Well that is fine and good, but on the arena corners, some of us were walking and others were going much faster.  On the straight-away, some of us had to fox trot to keep up.  Lucky was doing a fine fox walk...a little faster than a flat foot walk and not quite a full fox trot. Finally the rules were explained to…

Miracle of Miracles!  Lucky Star has been impulsive the last three rides we've had.  He's been impulsive up to the canter.  I can get Lucky to trail walk, flat foot walk and fox trot without too much arguing.  We have come a long way.  However, the canter was not in Lucky Star's play book. On this day, Lucky Star wanted to goooooooo!  I'm not quite used to this version of Lucky Star yet.  These past three rides, Lucky seems to always want to go fast the first time we ride…