Arizona Day 3

Early in the morning while horses are being saddled the rings are worked up for consistent footing.  The last 2 mornings I was out there waiting for the horse stuff to start.  Today I went out a little later and wouldn't you know it, they started earlier.  You snooze you loose.  Actually I was on the computer.

There are 3 grooming stalls conveniently located next to the large tack room, with a wash rack beside for rinsing them when you're done.  Today I got Taz ready and warmed up for Al to use in the cutting pen.  That was hours ago.  I can't remember now what we worked on except that it was stuff we learned yesterday and I was concentrating on riding one handed.  If I can get it one handed I definitely can do it two handed. 

Taz

Next I rode Raisin to warm her up for Jade.  Raisin and I are getting along well.  Today she did some awesome spins after I got my leg out of her way like Jade showed me.  She went faster than Dustin did yesterday, fastest I've ever gone and with her nose just about on the ground.  Our lope departures were a lot straighter too.

Raisin

I saddled T-Bone but didn't ride him as Jade was ready for him so Al sent me for  his horse Lucky.  What an incredible horse.  Apparently he can get a little strong and be a little more difficult to ride but we hit it off well.  I practised more one handed with lots of direction changes and loping off straight and spinning, fastest yet and stops right when you ask him to.  I also visited a little as we were waiting for Al and I was getting a little tired as it was past lunch and I had been on horses since breakfast. Three of us had a lesson together which was great because as he worked with one person you could practise a bit too and be ready for your turn. We did some body control exercises to prepare the horse for lope departures and lead changes.  When it was my turn Al told me to lope a big slow circle, if I could, not one of Lucky's best moves, slow that is.  I did what I had seen the others learn, which involved collecting by lifting and holding, not pulling back, while driving forward.  So cool, it worked, look out Boomer here I come.  Then we worked the lead change drill with the sidepass in to the previous circle and lope off straight. Looking good so far.  Then flying changes on the diagonal so there was a longer straight stretch.  The first 2 he made the change but got a little exuberant with the hind end so we pulled him around a little, pushing him off the leg he objected to and then tried one more time with more inside leg release, less outside leg. Awesome change.  Al said, you have no idea how good you did today.  Yay!  I guess you could say, I got lucky.

Lucky

In the afternoon I rode Dustin with Jade working on stops.  He challenged me a couple of times sticking his ribs out or leaning and I corrected him the way Jade told me yesterday and he stayed way straighter.  Even though you need speed increasing, if I just let him increase speed and asked for the stop he bounced me in the saddle but if I applied what I had learned earlier about lifting the front end and driving the rear up to control his speed, create more impulsion, we had a great stop.