Clip, clop, clip...

[catjac1975]

Cat, do you suggest weekly lessons? And if so, how long do you think I would need them? Trying to figure out cost. One place they are $40 group. Not sure how large group is but you need to take a private lesson or lessons till you reach the beginner's stage. Private lesson is $70 for 45 min.

Mary

you may get to the group lesson and find you are the only one especially if you go when kids are in school.I'm sure you would't want to be with a bunch of kids. I would start there. Every day sounds very expensive. You may be able to buy a package of lessons. I don't know what your experience is but your muscles will feel it. I would try a few different instructors to make sure you get one you like and feel like they are helping you. Horses are funny they know when you don't know what you are doing. A well trained horse will do as they please if they figure that our. Laughing to themselves the whole time. The whole reason for lessons if for fun and your safety. I could not guess how many lessons you need.Get a good helmut.

 

[secuono]

I will have this trainer teach my gelding to W/T/C and other things mostly related to trail riding and listening to what I want no matter what's around. But they also have an arena, so we will get to dabble with those at some point.

Trail riding in one of those groups for the public isn't really riding so much as staying on and maybe some direction.
Last trail place DH and I went, it was obvious the horses weren't seasoned group trail horses for the general public to dilly dally on and obvious that DH has never actually rode a horse. He's been on other trail rides, but with better horses and never had to do anything. This time the horses gave us trouble and were challenging us, DH was flailing around like a bee was trying to sting him. He couldn't even reach the stirrups but was too much of a guy to let the trail guide fix that and in jeans not pulled up, well, IDK how he stayed on at all! He was just a lump on a moving log.

15 or so yrs ago, summer lessons were around 650 for 6 once a week lessons in a group. And with my new instructor, I'm learning that the previous teacher kinda sucked at teaching or rather didn't tell us quite how to do this n that.

And the two point, that's a tricky thing! I can practice that with my gelding or on stairs, so hopefully I'll be better next time, since she'll have a trotting horse for me...and that one will be even taller... =0

I almost figured out how to drive the horse back to the wall. I had an idea of what to do, but also kept having a brainfart about actually doing it or asking about what I thought to do. Luckily, I was only dumbfounded about that and the faster gaited walk. Going right he was a squiggle worm and made his body a real S shape! =0 But she hopped up and showed me what she was trying to describe to me. Which ended up being pretty much what I thought it might be.

He's gaited, so she was also trying to get me to figure out how to ask him for a different walk he had. I really hoped he was just a snot and it wasn't me the whole time I was trying and got no where. And when the instructor hopped up on him, I knew it wasn't just me, lol, he was being a turd that day. Eventually I got the other walk going a little with some help.

We also did some exercises while he was on the lunge line. She used him for the lesson because he was the only one who wouldn't have a cow about that, lol. Will practice those on my gelding, as well as general stretching. Not fun to almost pull random muscles while on horseback, haha.

But it was super fun!
Even with the rough start in a western saddle, that we went back to change for an english one, and not getting him to do quite what I asked, still exciting and fun, lol. He walks faster than my gelding does at his snail crawl and faster than the grey mare did, so that's the first thing, along with the rock of a saddle, I had to get used to. Once in the english and used to his speed, I thought how nice it would be if my guy had more go to him.

Instructor said I had a good seat and balance and I picked up the two point better than other beginners, but I think the last one was just a fluke! I was showing my confusion on my face, lol, I kept looking at my leg and telling it to do it right. I've been practicing the other two on my gelding for the past year, without that, it wouldn't of gone as well and I'd have to practice balance at home.

She thought my gelding would do well with his training and as a trail horse,since he was so mellow and easy going with his walk. (From what she saw in a video I sent her of me riding him.)


But yea, find a barn and instructor that you feel good about, you like the way they care for the horses and how they teach people. And one that can get you to your goal.

There's nothing wrong with going to your top pics and meeting them, seeing them work, asking others for their opinions of them and such, before you decide.

 

[secuono]

Oh, it was the flat walk gait she was trying to get me to get out of him.

 

[catjac1975]

My gelding is a level 4 dressage training. I know nothing about dressage. Sometimes I give him directions that only he understands. He will swing his butt at a slow walk-so funny to sit on that.

 

[catjac1975]

Oh. Here I am.

 

[thistlebloom]

I had no idea Cat. I always had you pegged as a gal....

 

[Smart Red]

As a elementary student, I used to take the last couple of days off school to go to Milwaukee, WI's annual horse show. My BFF1 rode in several events -- mostly jumping -- but I loved watching all the events. Dressage is beautiful to watch.

 

[catjac1975]

I had no idea Cat. I always had you pegged as a gal....

Hahahahahaha caught me.

 

[secuono]

Didn't mess with the horses much until tonight.
Lead the gelding through sheep pasture into the yard with the trailer. Baby mini popped through as well, but got her to stay in with the sheep.
Gelding gave me a refusal to go into the trailer, I insisted, he went in. We walked out, around and back in, no issue. Repeated a few times, then tied him and closed the trailer. I left for a little bit and opened the door and lead him out and back into his pasture. He was so good today! Minis were both running around calling, but he did well.

Then caught the booger mini, baby one, and she gave no issues with going in, waiting and back out. She even went ahead of me the last two times!
Though, she did refuse to pass the gate between the sheep pasture and the yard the trailer was in. Little persuasion and she went through.
Then did some tying, just the rope over the bar and in my hand in case she freaked. She likes to rear when forced, but she was calm and only a little squiggly. Led her out of the trailer, tied her to the side of it so I could close up the trailer. Then walked off here and there to see how she'd do with me not near her. She wiggled a little, but stayed calm.
We walked back through that gate she balked at, but she did well and even listened when I motioned for her to turn after she passed through.
Gelding also did well with turning after walking through the gates.

Proud of my little boogers!


I forgot I had asked others about their riding....It's kinda ended up a thread where I update on horse progress instead, lol. I guess that's better than making a bunch of new threads all the time.

Happy weekend everyone!

 

[secuono]

Ok, came back from my second lesson!

Ended up with a rounder mare, slow going like my guy, not gaited. We were practicing the sitting trot then some posting trot. Ton different to practice on a moving horse than one that isn't! Really wish I could get my gelding to trot, but yesterday, we decided to walk in a new area. The back gait to the narrow pasture, he refused 3x and finally went through the fourth time around. The white lattice seemed to put him on alert, but not enough to wiggle, refuse, bolt, etc, so I was super happy with that. We walked out, around the yard and back in and them back out, no issues. I may try and ask him to trot this week...maybe...we'll see.

Anyway, back to my lesson. Super hard to sit the trot and now posting the trot seems tricky as well...since I need to put weight down through my heel. Still was fun.

Lessons will be on Tuesdays, thought, 22nd she's busy. I'll worry about that next week.