Velvet – bridleless demonstration at Mid America show

July 16, 2002Posted inVelvet
The great demonstration at the Mid America fox trotter horse show was last Saturday and everything was just super! here's some highlights: My reining circles turned into triangles, but nobody cared. During one of my reining circles, I decided to switch my flag to the other hand..during our canter. Unfortunately, I switched my hands right in front of my body, thus forcing the flag to be whipped right in my face! I was riding blind for a while. I tried to pretend that this was part of the act, but…

JR’s Journal – First Trail Ride

May 7, 2002Posted inJR
JR, the Tall is almost three and started by Jenny Vaught He's been doing great. I got another woman to ride Sage (his step mother) and I rode JR up in the Pine Dell 40 acre hay field. That went so well, we rode farther and went by some potentially scary places. JR showed no sign of fear. Then I started to ride him in the 40 acre hay field by myself, and farther. Sunday, SKIPPY  and JR went for our first real trail ride. I didn't realize that neither Skippy's new…

JR’s Journal – We Start the Dreaded Pace

April 30, 2002Posted inJR
JR is now a few months into his 3rd year and he stands at 15.2 Hands. His legs are almost taller than I am! I can’t see over him from the ground unless I’m looking at jet airplanes. Just recently I noticed that the mounting blocks were getting too low! Jenny finished starting him and I started riding him in the Monday night group lessons. I was getting more and more relaxed riding. One weekend, I asked him for a little speed and he started pacing like he was a…

Sage and the Saddle

March 12, 2002Posted inSage
Sage is sequestered at Pine Dell again on her diet. Tonight I am dedicated to cantering and galloping on Sage.  I will not tense up.  I will allow my hands to be quiet.  I will not pick up the reins and hold them up to my nose.  I will not tense up my shoulders.  Sage is a well trained horse.  I decided to skip all my normal pre flight check out.  We walked up to the upper 40 acres.  I tightened the girth several times and got on.  The girth…

JR Journal – 2nd ride on JR

February 22, 2002Posted inJR
  "Gee Susan, He's REALLY Testing You!" "My, JR is being ORNERY Tonight!" 2/22/2002 There's nothing like a young horse to make one humble. I was foolishly thinking I had gotten pretty skilled in natural horsemanship principles. I remember riding Velvet in many workshops thinking, "Gee, I wish I had a young horse so I could experience all those early training experiences again with a young horse. I'll be so much better this time." Ha! Jenny uttered the two statements that make up the title during the latest Thursday nite…

JR’s Journal – Old Woman Riding Young Horse!

February 7, 2002Posted inJR
Yep, I’ve ridden JR twice now. Jenny let me ride him the first time one evening after she was finished riding him. She wanted to make my first experience a good one!  And it was a couple days after my birthday. Riding JR was a great gift! Let’s set the important background: I haven’t rode a young horse since Velvet was two…eight years ago. I was understandably a little nervous. I tried to breathe and relax and almost succeeded. Jenny helped me on, and JR and I were a team.…