Pride

Today the whole family headed out to the barn, because the girls wanted to ride Albert. I told Susan we were coming, and when we got there Albert was all tacked up and her friend was walking him around while Susan got ready. Susan was planning to ride for a few minutes before the girls got on him. I said hello to Kaswyn really quickly then I headed out to the arena.

Susan rode for a few minutes, and then Macey was itching to get on. We got her helmet on, bucking strap set, and stirrups adjusted. I was leading her around on Albert and she says "Mama let go of that.", pointing to the reins. I said no, somebody has to steer Albert and tell him where to go, so she says "I want to hold those and steer him around!"

So I let her steer him around at the walk for a little bit, and we practiced turning, stopping, and going. Then she says "I wanna gallop!"

I told her she had to learn how to trot first, so I grabbed the lunge line and told her to grab the bucking strap and we would trot. I got Albert trotting and she said "Oh! Oh! He's bouncing me! Stop!" So I stopped him, and she said "I don't like trotting, my butt bounces all around!"

So I asked her to stand up in her stirrups, then sit down. I had her do that a few times and told her that was called posting. I said if she did that while Albert trotted then her butt wouldn't bounce in the saddle so much. We went back to trotting on the lunge line, and she'd make it around one time and then we'd stop. Each time I was saying "Stand up! Sit Down!". After the first two times I said "You're really learning it honey!" and she says "Actually, Albert is teachin' me cause he bumps my butt up when it's supposed to go up."

I was so, so proud of my kid. She is three years old, and she gets the concept of posting. I'm not saying that she's perfect at it, or that it's pretty, but she's doing it and staying on.

We did it a few more times, and the last time she was able to go around me twice on the lunge line before I stopped him. Then she said she wanted to gallop. I told her that no, she had to get really good at trotting before we could gallop, and she says "Oh-kay." We asked Lily if she wanted to ride, but she had no interest at all.

Now, I have to say that the girls don't come out to ride that often. The last time was this summer. I think I'm going to have to bring that kid out more often and work on her riding. She really does love it and absolutely has talent for it.

Susan helped me put Albert away while Craig herded the girls so I could get Kaswyn out. I opened his stall and I said "Hey boy!" What I got from him was an ugly face, pinned ears, and a sharp grab and tug on my coat. He wanted to make it clear that two weeks away from him was far too long. Of course I just laughed and said "I know kid, I know."

I put him in the cross ties and tried to clean him up a bit. But he was SO caked with mud I was having a hard time getting it off. Usually you can just curry that stuff off, but I don't know if he rolled in cement or what but the currying and brushing just wasn't doing the trick. The kids were getting hungry so I knew I wouldn't have time to Miracle Groom him. I did the best I could and then stuck him on the lunge line for a few circles just to see what he looked like. I still don't like what his back end looks like. I hope the chiropractor can come this week!

I got Kaswyn dressed in his blankets again, gave him an apple, and headed out. I told him I'd be out tomorrow to really get him clean. I think I might have to hot towel him in the really bad areas. I told Susan that if she wanted to ride her horse I could give her a lesson, and she said she'd take some Aleve and then see how her back felt. She really does want to ride but it gives her so much pain to do anything but walk. It sucks.

I'm going back to work tomorrow, then back to the barn to clean up my filthy boy. Believe it or not, I'm looking forward to it, even if I can't ride.