Still riding...just not posting!

Of course, I mean posting here, not in the saddle :-P

I've been riding every week since I first started back, still on AJ. He's not nearly as bad now that I am used to how uncomfortable he is and have sort of figured out how to sit to him. He's a lot of work, though, which I think is doubled by the fact that he's so uncomfortable!

I've apparently been switched from L to C, which is fine. I showed up one Thursday night and L had no one for me to ride because her lesson horses had just been adjusted by the chiropractor and her attempt to reach me on Facebook went into my "other" folder. I was kind of annoyed, but at the same time, I do really appreciate that she takes care of her lesson horses, and gives them time off when they need it. So, I made sure she had my cell phone number to avoid that situation moving forward, and she was willing to reschedule me for that Sunday, since she wasn't showing. She texted me the next night to say she had to look at a horse for a client on Sunday morning, but I could ride with C if I still wanted a lesson. I said, that's fine. And, I've been riding with C ever since. There's not a whole lot of difference between them, other than C being more soft-spoken. Doesn't bother me, as long as I get to ride and neither of them is like S was!

Anyway, the last several lessons, I've been doing low (2') courses. Nothing too strenuous, just trying to get my eye back, so I can find my distances, my seat back, so I'm not in front or behind as he jumps, and, of course, maintaining the same speed and impulsion throughout. 

That one is tough with AJ. 

I have never ridden a horse that could stay at the exact same speed while shortening his stride enough to add one at the last minute quite as well as AJ does. It's kind of bizarre. I can have my distance and lock on, and he'll throw in a stride without changing anything. He can do a 6 stride line in 5, 6 or 7 strides without changing anything. 

This past Thursday, that was all we worked on through a 6 stride line from crossrail to crossrail...keep him moving forward enough that I get my stride count no matter what. So, we were almost at a hand gallop coming out of the corner to the line and then I had to kick him through the middle of the jumps as well, to keep him from adding. It was kind of fun, lol. I know he's going to take care of himself, and as a result, he's going to take care of me. We ended up doing the line in 5 and 6 strides in both directions, and I definitely got the point of the lesson -- to remind me that it's easier to stay with the horse if they are taking your distance, instead of their own!