Long time...no see!

Hey guys,
Sorry I have not been posting recently. So just to catch you up my lease with Matt is going really well. Pony club has started back up again, and like always, it's really fun! Matt Has been a good boy mostly  he listens to me very well now. I actually need your help.

I feel like all I write about on here is my lessons, I want to write about more. What do you think I should start posting about? Thanks so much!

You don't choose the horse, the horse chooses you!

Ok I know, I know, the title is super naive, but it's true. If you are thinking of leasing or buying, this is very important. Number one thing I'm gonna say, I'm not trying bring you down, but very rarely will you find a horse who is perfect, doesn't bite, does everything you want. However think about it, don't you love your leased or your own horse because of their personality. Sometimes Matt, can be a bit bratty, but I like that he has his own spunk, his own personality. So think about it, maybe you'll be looking for a lease horse, and you will see a kind-of ratty one, Maybe he's nothing compared to that Frisian you were going to lease, but give him a chance. Maybe there's a horse that pins his ears back when you walk by, but did you ever give him a chance to get to know you? All I know is just like humans, no horse is is absolutely perfect, well actually that could be debated because I think every horse is perfectly un-perfect!

I got this photo from: http://www.art.com/products/p13866919-sa-i2774694/allan-grant-jean-anne-evans-14-month-old-texas-girl-kissing-her-horse.htm

Matt :)

Yesterday I rode Matt, He was a really good, fisrt I was at the stump getting ready to get on him when Christina said "Nic..........what are you missing" Assuming she was referring to Matt I checked him over, he looked fine "I don't know" I replied.
"How bout' a helmet" Christina said
"Right!" I said. When I got on Matt I circled him around a few times changed directions, same thing. "Pick up a jog." Christina instructed. I cued Matt with my spur. "Good lower his head" I gave wiggled the reins until Matt's head was dropped down. "Keep it there.". I nodded and focused on keeping Matt's head down. "Pick up a lope" Christina Instructed. Matt picked it up, we loped and loped..until christina said "Sit deep, take a breath, and say it"
"HO!" I said, Matt stopped on the dime. The other thing I wanted to tell you guys about is the saddle I'm  using on Matt, It's fairly small about a 13" It feels like it weighs a ton. Thanks for reading check back soon!

remember, I-I-N-T-T-A-H (If in need talk to a horse!)

and I ask him "Are you trying to entertain yourself?"

Today Is Wednesday so guess who I rode.......that's right....Ding ding ding, You Win! Matt! The lesson went well. He was a really good boy today. The first time around I had a few problems with his lope, he kept breaking stride :( But the next time he went smooth sailing. We've been trying out this Really, Really, Really old saddle, and some days it works, and some days it feels really weird. The worst part is the weight, that thing must weigh 10000000000000000000 pounds! The interesting thing isn't really about the lesson, but after the lesson. I was grooming of Matt when he started to chew on the wall. I tugged on his halter "No Matt, that's NOT eatable" Matt looked at me like I was crazy like he was thinking I'm chewing on it, and it doesn't taste that bad, so don't tell me I can't eat it! Next he started chewing on his lead-rope. Again I yanked back on him, this time he tuned around and lipped me, Wait let me explain, I say he "Lipped" me because Matt doesn't bite, he gets you with his lips, and sometimes licks you with his tongue...Moving on. I give him a soft-but-hard-enough slap to tell him He should not do that. Wait it gets better. Then He went for the unlocked pad lock on the tack door, well since it was unlock he snatched it. I head him chewing on metal, I went to go see what he was eating OH MY GOD THE PAD-LOCK..now you don't have to study or ride horses to know if they swallow a metal pad-lock it's a big problem. I snatched it out of his mouth as fast as I could, and put it away. I looked at Matt, who now very bored was trying to scratch his leg. "Are you trying to entertain yourself?" Matt looks at me and throws his head. Of coarse I thought. then I thought harder, if I was a horse...I would get bored too. I then looked at Matt and patted him, "OK I said I'll make you a deal, no more eating metal and I won't get annoyed with you anymore." Thanks for reading and check back soon for my next post!

It's Picture Time!!!!

So today it was POURING  So when I didn't really roam the farm, the time I wasn't in the office, or in Matt's stall, I was on a horse, so the only new pictures I have are of Dutches the barn cat, or Matt. And all the pictures were taken today, they are all mine. However I would like to give credit to my friend Julia who helped me take some of the pictures.

Rey!!!!!

NOTE: I did have a lesson with Matt today, but it was pretty normal and I've been writing about his lessons a lot so I decided to take a break from his lessons.

Today I rode Rey! As I entered the arena Rey took off! I checked him. He slowed to a walk. We did our usual warm-ups then, we loped. Rey's lope is to die for he extends and scoops so perfectly you feel like you floating on his back. When I finished we jogged around then we did a pattern to practice extending the lop and jog. Rey did great at the jog, but he wouldn't pick up the lope. Finally he picked up his long smooth lope. As we dismounted he nuzzled me!

That's about all.....until next time!!!

Matt...up, up, and away!

Hey guys,

So yesterday I had a a private lesson with Matt. Now you guys know if you ride western you don't jump....well Matt changed that yesterday. Me and him were having a great lesson. "Keep your hands down...imagine your holding a ping-pong ball between your arm and ribcage....now ask for a lope." me and Matt shot off we circled once and started to go around again. Seeing that Matt was headed for a cone I asked with the rein for him to move over a little, he didn't budge. Getting a little agitated I asked him to move over again. Seeing that Matt was going to crash into the cone I braced me self, he took a long stride and jumped the cone! All and all it was a very good lesson, (I actually jumped for the first time in my life) Check back soon for my next post!