Do You Ride Horses?

[.Scarlet.]

Yeah, he's a cute gray.
@Blue- I'd love to see cute pony pictures! Upload away!! Lol. I'll get some tomorrow or Friday. I have plans v-day and riding tomorrow:WOOOOOHOOOOO!

[{A Dream Is A Wish}]

I can't wait until sunday! ... It's been 8 weeks since I've been able to ride...

[Hooligan.]

Ok guys so you guys all know about how I am doing that queen competition. Well, there are a few other questions I need to be able to answer, and I would like to share them I got them all, so I think I got the question part whooped.

1. What is Rodeo's classic event?
2. What is the well?
3. What is the only roughstock event that doesn't require a markout?
4. What lead is a heading horse on?
5. What is a dally?

I know they are pretty easy, but I think they are actually pretty fun

[Toppyrocks]

@Smokey- I actually have no idea what any of those mean xD English girl through and through, I guess.
Maybe for your problem with the leads, there's a few things you might be able to do (I had a huge problem with coaxing the right lead out of Jesse a year or so ago, actually more than that now) First of all, and this likely isn't the problem, how are you? Are you stronger on one side than another, and do you balance a bit differently to one direction? Possibly could you hop on another horse and see if you have even the slightest bit more trouble on one lead than the other?
Then after that, and this might not apply as much to western as to english, but all horses work the same anyways, so...
If you can really work on collection and setting back on the haunches that can help, because often times a horse might not be using that side 100% correctly (and fun fact: most horses are left-handed, that's why lots of horses are weaker in the right lead canter).
My trainer gets us to do this excercise to get a nice canter transition: Head from say C on the right rein down to B, and then at B half- ten metre circle back (to X, facing C) and then, heading towards C on the centerline, leg yield to the left off your right leg back to the wall at H. Then ask for the right lead right when you hit the wall. This way, the horse will be moving off the inside leg, bending, and will be moving their hind end (hopefully) and they will be working more to keep themselves together then if you were just going around an arena.

Maybe that will help? It improves my transitions by about 342938472947%.

[Hooligan.]

@Toppy:
Haha western girl through and through
1. What is Rodeo's classic event? ANWER: Saddle Bronc
2. What is the well? ANSWER: The inside of a spin when riding a bull
3. What is the only roughstock event that doesn't require a markout? ANSWER: Bull Riding
4. What lead is a heading horse on? ANSWER: The left
5. What is a dally? ANSWER: The wrap around the horn of the saddle that a team roper takes.

Hehehe, I'm pretty sure he just doesn't take to the right lead. Although I am right handed, I ride evenly on each, side. I also usually ride quite a few horses each day. On the ranch here we get a string of horses each year, and occasionally they change. We probably have around 150-200 horses right now-but that includes about 40 bucking horses as well. I usually ride some pretty rough horses, and I train them as well. hehehe, because I am western, and have never learned anything english, I really don't know what any of that means hahahaha. I don't understand anything about the letters, or centerline hehehe.

[MochaTheLlama]

@Smokey - Easy?! Heck, I ride western and I have no idea what any of those mean! I guess I don't do rodeo though, which would make a big difference... xD

@Mr.Milo - Funny you say that because I started lessons when I was 8. xD I did have those 2 years though where I begged for a horse, and looked at them, and wondered why there wasn't a pony outside my door when my birthday came around! xD

[Hooligan.]

@Mocha:
Hehehe Yep, rodeo does help! Hahahaha. There are some really hard ones in there that I had to ask on though.


@Queening:
Ok, so I've decided a little bit on my outfits. For horsemanship I know its best to wear just a plain shirt. So I am thinking of wearing a plain black shirt, with a silver wildrag. That way it will match my hat. And black looks good with Queso as well. And it is slimming!! So I am going to have to buy the black shirt and wildrag though, I always tend to go with wild colors so when something like this comes up I'm never prepared lol. Then I am going to hopefully be able to get a black and silver show pad, or just a black pad. And I am going to have my hair in a ponytail-remember it will be curly- so is a side ponytail better, or a straight one?

[stirrupirons]

Hey guys! I don't have any time to reply, I got home a few hours ago from my lesson and I had a plethora of homework and my grandpa came over, so I'm scrambled for time right now. Anyways, my lesson was frustrating but good! Thinker was super fresh. My instructor hadn't ridden him before and I just lunged him quickly at WTC, so he was VERY difficult today, but I feel like I'm a 10x better rider now. The last time he was ridden was Monday. He was just super duper fresh.
Our warm up was bending at the figure 8 and serpentine. My circles are pretty bad and bending is difficult with him, so it was much needed. He was sooooo quick. My arms are sore from slowing him down, lol. Not to mention he was heavy in my hand. He didn't really want to bend, so it took a lot in order to get him bent properly at the trot. At the canter and walk it was fine though. We ran through my dressage test and she said it'd probably be in the 60's because of the problems with bending; when we get down to the end of the arena I counter bend him for some odd reason. I think it's because he tries to cut corners and I try to get him back over, it's a bad habit I need to fix. After we did some bending work we moved onto cantering. She always tells me I don't have to do more than a few canter strides, but I always just go with it, lol. My seat's better but I'm not completely satisfied with it. My leg is very unstable and I come out of the saddle a lot. I have a video of cantering today if you all want to see it: here is the link. Be easy with the critique, lol. I'm still working up my confidence at the canter. I haven't really found the spot that makes me just think eureka, so any tips will be very helpful.
Thinker also spooked a little today at my phone, haha. The flash was on and when he saw it he stepped away from it very quickly. I wasn't unseated and it wasn't a big deal, it was funny actually I have it on video and if you guys want to see it let me know
One time at the canter transition he took off really quickly but I didn't fall off and I stuck with it. My upper leg was very unstable though and I can see it moving around I'm happy with how he looks, though! He seems very put together and not just scrappy everywhere haha. Plus at the canter he has a moderate bend which is nice

[opal.]

@Monchele
Girl, you're looking fantastic! The transition was good even though there was like 1.5 strides of trot in there, but that's just fine since walk-canter transitions are tougher than trot-canter transitions. I actually thought your seat was really nice. You've improved SOOO much since the last time I saw your progress. You said to go easy on critique, so I'll just say the main things and not get picky or what not (not that there was really a lot to be picky about). First, I know that you're first and foremost thing you're working on is your seat, which is great, but you're leg was pretty foreward and moving it back a little would be good to see later on, althought I don't think you should worry about it TOO much right now, as there are more important things. You mentioned that your leg was unstable, and I think I found the cause of that. Your toes were pointed out quite a bit, and you're heel could use to be down a little more, but truthfully, I was actually REALLY excited that your heel wasn't down as much since last time I saw canter pictures from you, you had your heel rooted downward to keep from coming out of the saddle, and it was really pushing your leg forward quite a bit. The fact that your heels were not very down tells me that you've really put in a lot of progress developing your seat and that you aren't relying on stirrup pressure anymore to keep your seat which is HUGE. You also came down onto the right lead which is awesome, and very attractive in shows. Keep up the good work!

[.Scarlet.]

My lesson sucked tonight. I'm so upset. My body is sore and I don't know why. My lower back kills and my legs keep drifting forward probably because of how I do my squats. And it sucked so much. I'm so disappointed in myself. My instructor reassured me, but I got so mad. Was not my night. Hopefully next week is much much better.