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.…

Velvet – Mohair Cinch disaster

January 16, 2002Posted inVelvet
I got a 100% mohair cinch handmade by a woman in Utah! I put it on my saddle and away I rode in the lesson. We were cantering circles and I felt that my saddle was loose. I mentioned that to Jenny after that round of cantering. I've had that feeling before with my neoprene girth. My turn to canter in circles again. I was on the wall and felt my saddle go...no bringing it back! I pulled Velvet really close to the corregated metal arena wall and leaned against it…

A Christmas Miracle Story

December 18, 2001Posted inMiscellaneous
A woman approached me during a natural horsemanship clinic.  She told me that she was looking for a fox trotter to purchase.  Lynne said that she was a "green rider", and had taken 6 lessons.  She had an appointment to visit a gaited horse of a lot more excitable bloodlines (Paso Fino).  I grimaced inside and hoped she would live thru it.  She called me with the news that she barely lived thru it.  Thank goodness she didn't ride the horse.  So in over a period of time, I showed Lynne…

Velvet – Bareback Dismounts

December 11, 2001Posted inVelvet
It's a Journey Velvet and I are going for Level 3 in the Parelli program. We are doing very well. We have 25% of the tasks passed and making great progress on the remaining tasks. But you know how I love to tell pathetic dramatic humorous stories as we take the journey.... The task Velvet and I are focused on right now is cantering around an arena bridleless and bareback. Velvet is to have nothing on her body except me! Then (at a canter), we have to turn into the…

JR’s Journal – Family Christmas Party

December 11, 2001Posted inJR
It’s our house that is the site of the family Christmas. This year we held it on December 9th.  I like to have the horses home when the family celebrates Thanksgiving and Christmas, so JR came home for the weekend.  It was warm here in Missouri and so the kids got to ride a horse!  The little kids choose JR to ride, since he’s the cutest and friendliest! I put the Parelli bareback pad on him and hoisted up the oldest child.  We walked quite a ways and things were…

JR’s Journal – First Experience with THE GAIT

November 23, 2001Posted inJR
Jenny and JR have spent time just passenger riding which JR choose to do at a walk.  The emergency stop or bend to a stop was instituted before JR moved.  Then they added direction with reins, stopping, backing, fore and hindquarter turns.  I know that Jenny has asked for the soft feel and probably have done a little sidepassing. Our philosophy is to FIRST get JR to be a versatility horse and learn the athletic moves plus flying lead changes.  After this is accomplished, we were going to help JR…