Winter Time with Cisco

Last year I decided that forty degree winter riding would be just right for me. The year before, I pegged it at thirty degrees. I have not rode in twenty degree weather since, since...well, a long long time as I thought I was delicate. Yep, totally insane I have gone. I rode Cisco this morning in about 24 degree weather and this afternoon again in the high twenties. Who am I? This year is the year of the winter stall and indoor arena at Patterson Performance Horses stable not far…

First Day Live in the Barn

Cisco spent the night in his new stall. He screamed at me this morning when I came into the barn aisle. This living in a stall thing is going to be really good for my life. I have to get up in the morning as I must clean his stall. Cisco gets out of his stall and spends some time in the arena while I pick up the little brown "apples" littering his stall. When done, Cisco and I played some games in the arena. I get to take my…

What! A Self Assessment Task Checklist? NOoooooooo!

In a smug tone, I tell Jenny all I have to do to pass the Level 4 Free Style is bridleless flying lead changes which Cisco and I will be able to do because we can do them while jumping over a barrel. Jenny tells me that Cisco and I won't need to use a barrel by the time we develop this skill. "You'll not need to jump that high," she sez. Note: I was thinking that you, the reader, might believe barrel jumping means success at flying lead changes.…

The Cisco Journey 11-9-11

Cisco gets bestest treatment after our riding session. He followed my feel when trotting outside around a small round pen. I was bouncing at the hard trot and managed to get my heel on him so he could know I wanted him to follow the rail instead of spurt to the other end of the arena. This is such a difficult concept for Cisco and tough physically for me. We are no where near show-off stage. We are more like horrorific stage. In between successes, we walked around the arena…

Just Another Day on the Journey 11-6-15

Before I saddled up Cisco, an amazing event occurred. A butterfly happened along, or was meant to be a sign. My thought is that the butterfly is meant to show how light I must be with Cisco. Lightness with Cisco is the key to a successful journey. Cisco and I did our ground work, online and at liberty.  I'm pretty certain that we made little to no progress.  These things happen in the horse world with us learned amateurs! I then rode Cisco and we practiced side passing, leg yields,…

The Journey 11-4-15

The goal is 1% improvement every time. Here is the outstanding improvement for today. I was riding Cisco at this time. Me-hands on the short rope that is fastened around Cisco's neck. ( we call it a string"); Round Pen inside the arena; Task - travel around the outside; Cisco- follow my focus and feel, do not run to the other end of the arena. We succeeded! You cannot imagine my thrill when Cisco cantered around the outside of the round pen. I was darn happy that he traveled around…