Tuesday, September 29, 2015

Trail Ride

     I haven't been out to the ranch for a week but I had a great day out at the ranch yesterday!  I turned Phoenix out in the arena so she could run around and get some of her bucks out and then I groomed her down and tacked her up English style.




















     We had an awesome trail ride filled with being chased by some lost dogs, tripping and almost falling over Phoenix's head haha, and finding an awesome new trail that has a lake for swimming with my girl and that leads all the way to the mountains.  Phoenix did a great job on the trail and listened when I checked her.  The dogs chased us for a mile or so but I learned that if we walked until out of sight they wouldn't chase us and then we could continue running.  
     Phoenix and I came to a point in the trail that had this ditch.  I was going to have Phoenix slow down and run into and out of it but she had other plans.  She tried to jump it and tripped and slid down a little, causing me to lose my balance and fall onto her neck.  I thought I was going to fall but Phoenix did great and instead of freaking out that I was laying on her, she slowed for me to readjust myself and we continued on haha.  I love running my girl out on the trail and she is really listening well.  
     When we got back I opened and closed the gate on horseback (that took awhile haha) and took Phoenix into the arena to work on flatwork.  We worked on a controlled posting trot and then on getting the correct leads.  Phoenix is definitely getting the correct leads easier (though we still need work) and listening to my hands better.  After some flatwork I took off Phoenix's saddle and practiced some bareback flatwork.  Then I hosed my girl off and turned her back into her stall.  

Saturday, September 19, 2015

Friday and Saturday

     I took my camera to the ranch on Friday since I broke my phone on Monday.  Here are the pics I took before I rode.










     These are the jumps I built.  





















Broken Phone

     Monday started off like any other ranch day.  I took a selfie with my girl (I was dressed English today), turned her our, and then took Phoenix to the round pen to free lunge her.



     Lunging was going pretty well (though I don't have to run around so much with a lunge whip haha) and Phoenix was listening.  


     Then this happened haha.  I got Phoenix to join up super nice afterwards too and I didn't get it on video cause I kind of sort of broke my phone haha.  




     I did ride my girl English (though I have no pics or vids thanks to my broken phone haha) afterwards.  I built a small jump course out back and after switching out bits to one that Robin let us borrow, Phoenix and I were jumping confidently a little over a foot.  I'll get some pics and vids later haha.