DAY 16, 17 & 18 - Lot's of riding and a Lesson

I can't remember the exact order of riding events for Tuesday, but I'm pretty sure we made the usual rounds, and I think we also did a lot more trotting and cantering than usual. I remember cantering up through the woods on the path behind Dad's, and also cantering up the path across the street. I even had to use the bat on him a few times to keep him moving! We were out for a solid hour, and he was very good.

Tuesday afternoon, behind Lenny's house

Yesterday, I got up extra early, in order to prepare us for our 9 a.m. lesson time today (Thursday.) I fed him by 7:30, and took care of his paddock by 9 or so.. I think it was around 10:30 that we were all tacked up and ready to go. He was a bit cranky during the grooming process.. ticklish around his belly and loin areas, and swishing his tail and threatening to kick.. he also tried nipping a few times as I walked beneath the tie. I corrected him with my voice and a smack or two, and he behaved after that. I am never surprised when he is grumpy during the grooming and tacking up phase.. it's just how he rolls. He is always good by the time we finish with the day.

I could also tell that Possum was in the mood to be spooky. He was all looky looking at things.. but we marched on down the hill towards Dr. Doyle's old place. The town road crews had been working on clearing space for water run off down there, and their was giant, rusty old pipe laying on the side of the road. We walked by that with no problem, but by the time we had turned around at the end of the road and were heading towards it again, it had turned into a big, scary monster that was going to kill him. So, he snorted, he raised his head and perked his ears, and threatened to unseat me with some fancy side-stepping action.

So, I immediately went to work. Remembering what Clinton Anderson wrote about how to deal with a horse that spooks on the trail, I kicked Possum into a trot. We trotted away from the pipe, then stopped. Then we turned and trotted towards it. Again, he acted like it was going to kill him, so I kicked him into a circle, and we trotted away from it again. I repeated this for about 6 or 8 minutes, all the while getting a bit closer to the pipe. Soon enough, Possum began to tire of this, and realized that it would be a lot easier for him to not be spooked by the pipe and walk by it. Pretty cool how well that trick works.

So, we walked on, and back up the hill. We took the trail behind Dad's house, and cantered up to the back of the house. Then we walked up to the road from the secondary driveway opening. He was looking for more things to spook at, but I kept him marching. Then, we turned right onto our secondary driveway, and we walked over the little cross rail jump I had set up on the path the night before. Then, we turned around and trotted over it this time. I surprised at how much jump the little guy gave! That was fun.

I didn't want to push my jumping luck, though, so we continued on up the road to the Dodge field. I let him say hello to Big Mack, then we worked in the field a bit. I feel much stronger in my seat and core, so that's good. We did a few trots and a couple of short canters, I believe, then we walked down to Lenny's and behind his house a bit.. (I think, getting hard to remember!) Here's a video of us trotting back from Lenny's:

                                               
We had been out for a good hour, and once we got back to the stall to take off tack, he was much more relaxed and happy. I put off hand grazing him until later that night, after his supper and before ours. He got a good half hour, and was very respectful of me.

This morning was my second riding lesson with Ryan, so I got up early and had Possum grained by 7 a.m. I wanted to give him plenty of time to digest and eat hay before we got ready. I quickly cleaned his bridle, bit and breastplate, not wanting to show up a total mess, then quickly pulled my messy bed head into a clip and washed my face and brushed my teeth. Then, it was out to the barn to groom and tack up. Rain was threatening to come, but we managed to get the whole lesson in before it came.

I mounted him from the paddock and we ambled down to the Dodge field. Ryan and Donna were lunging Big Mack out in his paddock, and he was looking really good. Possum and I said hello and then we walked all around the big field for awhile. We trotted a few times in circles, too.

At the end of Big Mack's lunging session, Ryan went over the time and had Donna grab her helmet so that she could work with Donna on mounting Big Mack. It was good to see Donna on Mack again! Ryan led her around a few times, then she had her dismount and mount again.

Then, it was time for Possum and me to get some work. Today, we talked again about keeping him forward and straight, and also that I am not doing Possum any favors by letting him lower his head below his croup. So, that was a new insight for me. She reiterated that Possum moves best when we keep him moving forward, not sucking in. So, click and kick first, then use the bat. If one swat doesn't do it, then swat him until he does move forward. So, at the trot and then at the canter, we tried that, and it really does make a difference!

Ryan said I looked stronger and that I am riding him a lot better than this time last year! We talked a lot about Possum, his future, and keeping him a happy, fit horse. So totally worth getting up so early for! She knows Possum the best, and it is fascinating to me to get her perspective on him and the process of riding him well.

We were back to the barn by 10 a.m., and Possum got a well deserved pile of hay. I cleaned his paddock and cleaned and refilled his paddock water tub before the rains came, and he has the rest of the day off. Can't wait to ride tomorrow and work on riding him straight and forward!

                                              First 12 minutes from my first lesson with Ryan.