Riding Lesson

Today was a fun day at the barn. I had the morning shift for chores. It was cold this morning but tolerable. I took my time just enjoying being in the barn and chatting with MaryJo, Pam and Cierra. We were all having riding lessons today. Cierra was taking the first lesson at 10:30 am. She was going to be riding Marie. MaryJo had the second lesson at 11:30 am and my lesson was for 12:30 pm. I headed home about 9:30 am as I knew I needed to be dressed warmer before taking my lesson. I got back to the barn around 11:00 am and caught the end of Cierra's lesson. I had to assume it was going well by the size of the smile on Cierra's face. Cierra and Marie were looking great.  When Cierra was done with her lesson she was just about bouncing off the wall with excitement. She told me that Marie did a big spook with her today. They were riding by the viewing room window when the cat jumped up on it. Cierra was feeling good because she stayed in the saddle and quickly got Marie under contol. It was a good confidence builder for her. It just makes me so happy to see my Marie being enjoyed so much. She is one super special horse. Though it was pointed out by the instructor that Marie's saddle doesn't fit her. This is true. Cierra has been riding in my English saddle and it is too narrow for Marie. I rarely ever use the saddle. It has interchangeable gullets and there is a good chance I don't have the wide one in it as I think the last equine I used the saddle on was Ruby. I'll have to check. Cierra is a light rider and Marie hasn't complained but........ It was also pointed out that the throat latch on the bridle was too small. This too is unfortunately true. The bridle is ok with summer hair and a trimmed bridle path. But, Marie is untrimmed and wooly right now. Geesh, poor Marie. They simply left the throat latch unbuckled. Kind of made me feel stupid that I hadn't been paying more attention to these things.

I watched part of MaryJo's lesson. She was riding Tanguary and they looked good. Then I went and got Louie and brought him in to groom and saddle him. I lunged him a bit before the lesson to test his mood. He was quiet and well behaved. The instructor is Mary O'Rourke. This was the first time I'd taken a lesson with her and I liked her very much. Before we started I let her know that I was struggling with some fear issues as was Louie. Something I though we were both over after we'd had such a good riding season. I also told Mary that I definitely felt the bit I was using (a long shanked Mylar bit) was quite inappropriate and unfair to be using on Louie with the way I was riding him with my fear issues but that a shanked bit was all he'd ever been ridden in and I was not going to change bits without doing some re schooling on the ground first. She agreed with me but was willing to work with Louie and I as we were. The lesson went very well. With Mary's help, I was able to keep my hands quiet and relaxed and that allowed Louie to relax after a while. We mostly walked with just a little trotting. I have to fight the urge to snatch back on the reins with every move poor Louie makes. Louie starts to anticipate that and doesn't know what he's doing wrong (that would be NOTHING) so doesn't know how to avoid having his mouth yanked. And so the cycle goes. Anyway, Mary broke the cycle for today anyway and Louie eventually lowered his head, unclenched his tail and relaxed. Mary has only come across 2 other mules in her many years of giving lessons. So, she doesn't have a lot of mule specific experience. But, a good horsewoman is a good horsewoman and Mary could read Louie very well. She quickly noted how very sensitive Louie is to body language. When we were done with our lesson I had Louie bow for Mary and then he did his fetching routine. Mary was just delighted with the fetching and Louie was in his glory showing off to everyone.

I only did 1/2 hr. with Louie so I asked Mary if she had time to give me a 1/2 hr. lesson on Marie before she left and she said she did! Yippee!! It would be a fun stress reliever to ride Marie and it would give Mary a chance to see how I truly can ride and just what Marie knows. MaryJo had a second lesson on her horse Arthur after mine with Louie. Then Marie and I had the most wonderful and fun lesson. I'm glad I did it as Mary was quite surprised to see that I really do have a clue how to ride properly. Something that I didn't demonstrate too well with Louie. (Poor Louie) and Marie is really quite well trained despite the fact that I am her trainer. In no time I had Marie collected and rounded up and going around the arena looking like quite the dressage horse. Not Marie's favorite thing to do as it's hard work for her but she was game for it today and worked hard for me. And I learned how to do a proper leg yield today! It was a good day with both my equines. Mary is the kind of instructor that leaves you feeling very good at the end of a lesson. She is upbeat and positive. She looks for the things you do right and praises that and gently corrects the things you do wrong and patiently explains the things you don't understand at all. I know this is how you should work with equines and I must say it's very effective on us humans as well.