Bridleless Group Lesson

March 8, 2021Posted inFancy, Flying Change
First time ever for the middle horse and rider to ride bridleless. The sorrel with a blaze rode a walk trot horsemanship pattern bridleless the day before at a horse show for the first time! This was my first time to ride without the bridle too. We have been practicing with reins wrapped around saddle horn. I couldn’t ever make myself take the bridle off. Reins are so handy. I got the horsemanship stick string around her neck and carried my stick on my neck. Fancy did wonderful when we…

Student Should be Fired

March 7, 2021Posted inFancy, Flying Change
Yep, I'm talking about me. I had a session with Fancy, where she wanted to perform the flying changes when she wanted, instead of when I gave the signal. What to do with a horse that tries flying changes when you are doing a circle. We are doing a circle one way, not changing directions. Fancy will not do a complete circle without trying a flying change. We had a riding experience of arguing. I need a horse that will complete a circle at a canter, not a horse that…

What is Missing with Fancy!

February 22, 2021Posted inFancy
When a horse is "developing", one day you realize that something is missing. Today, I realized something is missing with Fancy during our ride. We had a group lesson today, the first since we endured horrible single digit and negative freezing temperatures this past week. Fancy has been home enjoying being part of a herd, round bale and hay in stalls. Eating hay every moment of the day keeps the heat burning in a horse. I never saw her shiver this week, unlike the two nearly thirty year old horses.…

My Thirty Degree Birthday – Truck Hell

February 4, 2021Posted inFancy
Fancy and Delta have a vet tomorrow about eight miles away from home. I need to bring Fancy home from the stable. Oh drat! It has started snowing and drizzling. I started the truck a few weeks ago. Surely it will start. No, my truck hates me in winter. It did not start. It made that clicking noise that sez, "Charge my Battery; I'm out of enough juice to start this big engine!" Damnation. I'll get the cables and charge the battery after Terry and I eat our late breakfast.…

Great Day in the Sun

February 3, 2021Posted inFancy, Flying Change
Fancy was a super star today. I have Erin Patterson ride her two days a week. She rode her today and did awesome flying changes. Sweaty when I rode, but got all the flying changes I asked for. Sometimes when Fancy canters, I bounce. It has nothing to do with flying changes…just regular cantering. I’ve tried to lean back, maybe my knees are braced, no. It’s embarrassing as I make noise when bouncing in the saddle. People think I can’t ride! It’s embarasing. Sometimes, relief comes and we get a…