The trail ahead
4 July 2009 23:39![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
glenatronThe last couple of days have been good from a riding perspective- having an unworkable Small has left us no choice but to work further on being able to ride out alone together. Yesterday ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
sleepsy_mouse came out with us on foot, which means...
We went out for a slightly longer loop than we have tried previously, hoping that having someone on the ground would be helpful in finding a bit more brave from him and sure enough we managed a longer circuit. We also did some work on Zorro being able to move ahead and take the lead- he really doesn't want to go ahead at all, trying to back up and get behind and generally being a bit of a menace but once he is ahead he doesn't mind leading.
This is something like twice in a row that we have had pictures of me on my horse. I would feel something of an egotist but it's just sheer chance that I've had someone on the ground with a camera, but given how good my pony is looking at the moment I'm happy to have these.
The corner towards home. I was expecting this to be a bit hectic but we just mooched around. A little further up we found we could trot off up the wide soft trail towards home then turn around and trot back tosleepsy_mouse. This was a really big change for the big Z.
Zorro after we got home, waiting for dinner ( they're sleeping out, but Zorro had been for a ride and Small was in for having his leg hosed so we fed them in their boxes ) and demonstrating his "backlit fraggle" look.
This morning we went over to watch a western riding clinic lead by one of the top judges on the british Western scene that was happening very nearby. I didn't understand some of what I saw but on the whole I found the teaching agreeable and I think if the same teacher is back at that venue then Zorro and I will probably amble along and pretend we understand western. He'll make a reining horse yet! Of course, he's more interested in being a reigning horse, but if he doesn't see it written down I think we'll be safe. The venue is only a few miles from where the ponies live, so it's a pretty good opportunity.
Rather than watching the whole day, we opted to head back to ponies assleepsy_mouse was feeling a bit rough and I was inspired to sit on my horse after watching other people ride.
Given where we were a few months ago I think it's a pretty big deal that today I could bring my horse in, tack him up and just go out and enjoy a solo ride. We went on the longest loop we have so far. He was forward ( we've been working on that, getting a faster and more purposeful walk and today it was right there ) and brave and we even got to do a bit of cantering and to have to do some smart maneuvres when I realised I'd taken us up the wrong narrow single track path and he was just spectacularly good. Zorro was a bit anxious when he saw monsters that resembled humans with no legs moving mysteriously through the woods, but settled once he realised they had legs but the path was a bit low down. That was the only point where I really felt any tension in him.
What it looked like being me, this afternoon, although a bit more shaky.
Parental advisory: Contains shakycam footage, mild manes, transition that looks as though it should be accompanied by the phrase "Rock out!".
A bright summer trail over the heath stretching out into the distance and a good saddle horse to travel it with. There isn't a whole lot else you need.
sleepsy_mouse came out with us on foot, which means...We went out for a slightly longer loop than we have tried previously, hoping that having someone on the ground would be helpful in finding a bit more brave from him and sure enough we managed a longer circuit. We also did some work on Zorro being able to move ahead and take the lead- he really doesn't want to go ahead at all, trying to back up and get behind and generally being a bit of a menace but once he is ahead he doesn't mind leading.
This is something like twice in a row that we have had pictures of me on my horse. I would feel something of an egotist but it's just sheer chance that I've had someone on the ground with a camera, but given how good my pony is looking at the moment I'm happy to have these.
The corner towards home. I was expecting this to be a bit hectic but we just mooched around. A little further up we found we could trot off up the wide soft trail towards home then turn around and trot back to
sleepsy_mouse. This was a really big change for the big Z.Zorro after we got home, waiting for dinner ( they're sleeping out, but Zorro had been for a ride and Small was in for having his leg hosed so we fed them in their boxes ) and demonstrating his "backlit fraggle" look.
This morning we went over to watch a western riding clinic lead by one of the top judges on the british Western scene that was happening very nearby. I didn't understand some of what I saw but on the whole I found the teaching agreeable and I think if the same teacher is back at that venue then Zorro and I will probably amble along and pretend we understand western. He'll make a reining horse yet! Of course, he's more interested in being a reigning horse, but if he doesn't see it written down I think we'll be safe. The venue is only a few miles from where the ponies live, so it's a pretty good opportunity.
Rather than watching the whole day, we opted to head back to ponies as
sleepsy_mouse was feeling a bit rough and I was inspired to sit on my horse after watching other people ride.Given where we were a few months ago I think it's a pretty big deal that today I could bring my horse in, tack him up and just go out and enjoy a solo ride. We went on the longest loop we have so far. He was forward ( we've been working on that, getting a faster and more purposeful walk and today it was right there ) and brave and we even got to do a bit of cantering and to have to do some smart maneuvres when I realised I'd taken us up the wrong narrow single track path and he was just spectacularly good. Zorro was a bit anxious when he saw monsters that resembled humans with no legs moving mysteriously through the woods, but settled once he realised they had legs but the path was a bit low down. That was the only point where I really felt any tension in him.
What it looked like being me, this afternoon, although a bit more shaky.
Parental advisory: Contains shakycam footage, mild manes, transition that looks as though it should be accompanied by the phrase "Rock out!".
A bright summer trail over the heath stretching out into the distance and a good saddle horse to travel it with. There isn't a whole lot else you need.
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no subject
Date: 6 Jul 2009 02:42 (UTC)Looks like lots of fun and I agree...'mild' is not the word for that mane. :P
no subject
Date: 6 Jul 2009 10:17 (UTC)