LOCK

[classi]

Aw, now I don't know who I want to ride. I still LOOOVE Winnie, but now I love Butter too.
I love Winnie more, but now I kind of like riding Butter a teensy bit more. But... erg.
Yeah, I'm glad I didn't quit. Thanks, Dolphin, everything you said is true!
And gymnastics are fun. We trotted/cantered in a circle the whole time. But over jumps and stuff. And my instructor even raised the jump to a bit over 2 feet... I think 2"3? Or maybe it was 2.
Oh, and you guys know Pet? Well, guess how long she has been riding horses?
6 years.
And she can only slow Winnie a tiny bit better than me.
6 years.
That's 4 years more than me. 0.0

Edit : OMG DOLPHIN!!! How did I miss that ITS YOUR BIRTHDAY TOMORROW!
HAPPY EARLY BIRTHDAY! I hope you get a horse. Maybe you'll get Skye!

I'm glad Buttercup is growing on you. ^^
The more you post about her, the more she sounds like Chloe. Same kind of personality, at the very least.
And I keep forgetting you've only been riding for two years. That's seriously impressive. I've only just started learning to jump cross rails and I've been riding for four years. I have a lot of catching up to do. xD

Well, I did ride western for about 6 months before I started riding english.
I'll be riding for 3 years this November. :3 No, you need no catching up! I have issues. XD I don't know why I keep moving up and up... it's pretty cool, but hard not to brag and be vain. Everyone is always like, "OMG you're so advanced for only riding for two years!" And it's so hard not to say "Oh yeah."
Everyone learns at their own pace. Strangely I learn fast. XD I still jump cross-rails. A lot. Like 18 inch ones. And sometimes I warm up over poles...

@ Zeldaxlove : I don't want to sound rude, but I think that someone with a lot of horse experience should re-make the thread. I know that you would make a beautiful new thread, but... you know? I guess I just mean... grr, how do I explain it?
Maybe you could copy what Hano wrote on this one? That would probably work!

[itsdemonnxoxo]

.raindrop. - Thats what I was going to be doing, in the first place.

[classi]

Derpty-durr self. XD

[...Dawn...]

Pip was a brat but i still luffles him<3

[Dolphinlover~]

@.raindrop.- Don't you even think about quitting riding. We have all ridden those nasty, hard, and tough horses/ponies. But it's what makes you a better rider. Even though you don't think it's helping you, since it's not enjoyable -- it really is. I mean I have ridden horses and ponies that I have not had a particularly good time on, but now reflecting on those moments I have realized that i'ts made me a better rider. Over the summer I rode a pony named Cookie, and just recently my old trainer that owns Cookie asked me to come back and ride her.

A few weeks ago, I went back to ride and train Cookie for her. It was hard, since she would refuse almost every jump. Overall she was just a naughty pony with a bad attitude. Although after working with her for a while over the same jumps, we got it to where I could ride her and make her jump those fences if she wanted to or not. Yes, I fell off of her since some of the refusuals were pretty bad. But I got right back on and made her jump those fences. Then I over heard Cookie's owner (who is was also my trainer) telling my mom that she was so glad that I could come ride Cookie. She said that I was a talented rider because, Not only did I know how to get on a well trained horse and ride well, I also knew how to get on a horse that wasn't trained well or needed to be retrained and ride him/her. Which made me feel really good.

So just think about all the good riding Buttercup does. Clearly your instructor wouldn't put you on her if she didn't think you were capable of riding her. Another example is that for one lesson my trainer put me on a inexperienced horse named Skye, who still needed training. He was also tough, wanting to cut into the ring all the time, following horses and getting too close to them, and not always listening. Although once I finally got him to listen it made me feel amazing to be able to do that! Even my trainer said I did well. However, the other girl who rode Woody got to do more jumping, and jump higher. But I didn't care because I knew my trainer put me on him because she was confident in my riding ability and knew I could ride him. Even though my eq. may have not been amazing that day, I was learning how to ride a horse that needed to be corrected/trained.

It's just those little things, that at the moment may seem bad, but your really learning a lot and will help you in the long run. Dont be upset about your lesson not going so great and about riding Buttercup again. Make the best of it, especially since you now know that all of us had to go through the same or similar situations with tough horses. I am sure you can do it I will be rooting for 'ya :3

Not sure if you saw this .raindrop. ;D

Guess what??? My birthday is tomorrow!! The only things on my wishlist are horse/riding related :3

Here's what I want:
1. A horse
2. To lease a horse
3. Joules polo shirt(s)
4. To do another A rated show
5. To ride twice a week with my trainer
6. My own saddle
7. A ring shaped like a bit :3

N'aww, I hope you have a great birthday Dolphin. <3
Doesn't everyone ask for a horse? xD

I was reading your post, and you seem like a very talented rider. ^^ Especially since you've been competing on the A circuit. Out of curiosity, how did you improve Cookie's way of going? She sounds like quite a challenge.

Ahh thank you so much <33
I know right? I think that it the top thing on everyone's wishlist, right? xD
I will let you guys know what I get.

Wow, thank you sooo much, I really appreciate it. That means a lot to me :3 You saying that just made my day, honestly Well it took a while but after the lesson was over I was able to get Cookie to canter a line that had two verticals, and one was 'scary' looking. I was able to get her to behave and listen to me. It really was a challenge, but I really enjoy challeneges. It was fun, and made me glad to get her to listen and not refuse the jumps.

@.raindrop.: YAY!!! I am sooo happy that you like Buttercup so much now!!! Eeee, that is great that your up for/like the challenge she brings you :3 I'm glad you aren't judging her just by what happened that day, after all horses have bad days too. You should be glad you didn't quit! You ride so well for only riding for two years <3 You'll have to keep me posted on your lessons and how you and Butter are doing ^^

Thank you soo much!!! I really appreciate it <3
Haha I wish! He is super expensive, but maybe my dad is considering it, who knows xDDD Thanks again ;D

[Toppyrocks]

I'm going to the stables soon, to fed and have my lesson. We are working on dressage today, thank goodness, the schooling show/clinic is in 2 weeks and I want to be ready, so me and Jesse don't make some kind of stupid mistake.

Hime- that's really cool about the tolt! I knew a bit about it before, but you explained really well and seeing it on video is really cool. I'd love to try it sometime! Is Heta very good at the tolt? Have you found out any more about her hocks?

raindrop- I think Hano should re-create it, if she wants to, because all the formatting was done by her and she put lots of work into it. I am waiting for Hano to make it.

sam sam- OMG, I would LOVE to try trail sometime! It seems so fun! Like an obstacle course, or jumping with less speed and more puzzle-like. I love puzzles. Maybe I can see if the stables I want to get western lessons at this summer does trail stuff. I know they do barrel racing, which would be super fun to try, but trail would be amazing too. I think if you like it, you should definately try more!

ZeldaxLove- we can't view that album. It's set on private or something xD

[Tyki-Pon]

Guys, dumb question, but what's a tolt?

Did someone call me? *clearing throat*
Tolt, or tölt as it's originally written, is a four beat lateral gait with similar foot falling order as walk. The word tolt is used for the Icelandic horse's special gait, but some american gaited horses have similar gait, I wouldn't say the same as they are riden totally different way and to me they are different. In tolt there's always one leg on touching the ground, so it's really smooth for the rider to sit, when it's clean that is. The speed range in tolt should be wide, going from fast walk to near canter speed. Unclean tolt can be either pacy or trotty, the first being milder error. Heavily pacy tolt is called piggy pace. Pace, a gait which some Icelandics also have, is two beat lateral gait, meaning the left side legs move as a pair as well as right side legs, with clear flying phase and loads of speed. Piggy pace is sort of the slow version of pace and doesn't necessary have that clear flying phase, making it bouncy to sit, bit like trot but different typ of bounce. Clean tolt requires that the horse uses it's hind legs well and steps under it's barrel with them and comes up from the front. Riders seat also pays an important role when riding tolt. Sounds easy? Can be, or then not.

Sorry if that makes no sense, I'm pretty tired... Not focusing much...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OmkQ9-D5Rx8 Fast tolt. I've seen that horse live and it's was freaking amazing. He placed well at WC last year too.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lZI0KXOsKvc Same horse, slow tolt.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xH1VGLRB ... re=related Different tolt class, shows some free rein tolt. Which to me tells a lot about the horse and rider's skills.

I stop now before I link every single video from youtube...
Just one more. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8sPLojuJ ... re=related =Pace, not the best but you get the speed from there.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c4PpC3dP ... re=related One WC competition ride.

Lol, it reminds me of a Tennasee Walker and a Shetland (the old type, not the new ones that are so thin and are crazy!) they have the lift of the Shetland, and the movement of the walker, both are very comfy, worked and ridden/driven both. But the Tolt looks reallly fun

[itsdemonnxoxo]

I'm going to the stables soon, to fed and have my lesson. We are working on dressage today, thank goodness, the schooling show/clinic is in 2 weeks and I want to be ready, so me and Jesse don't make some kind of stupid mistake.

Hime- that's really cool about the tolt! I knew a bit about it before, but you explained really well and seeing it on video is really cool. I'd love to try it sometime! Is Heta very good at the tolt? Have you found out any more about her hocks?

raindrop- I think Hano should re-create it, if she wants to, because all the formatting was done by her and she put lots of work into it. I am waiting for Hano to make it.

sam sam- OMG, I would LOVE to try trail sometime! It seems so fun! Like an obstacle course, or jumping with less speed and more puzzle-like. I love puzzles. Maybe I can see if the stables I want to get western lessons at this summer does trail stuff. I know they do barrel racing, which would be super fun to try, but trail would be amazing too. I think if you like it, you should definately try more!

ZeldaxLove- we can't view that album. It's set on private or something xD

Your have to be logged into Facebook to see them..(: Of you don't have a Facebook, I will post them separately

[OneRowdyNight]

Ohmygosh! So, a couple of things... Rowdy and I are entering our barn's trail challenge in both the bareback and advanced line classes and Jessy thinks he can dominate. <33 Also, remember that sabino mare? Well, I'm leasing her soon! I get to work it off, 9 stalls every sunday, which I think is a great deal. I get to help out a ton by working with her. They need to get her sold, because she can't be a lesson horse and isn't a show horse. We hope to find her a home as either a weekend trail rider or a teen's horse. She isn't for beginners, but is a wonderful girl. So excited!! ^^ Also, we may be showing sometime soon at a church show down a little farther south. I hope we can enter, because Rowdy needs all the experience he can get! (:

[Carbon]

I could probably throw together a new thread once this one gets to 900 pgs. Should I put everyone's riding profiles up? Anything else I would need to know?