NaBloPoMo Day 2: The last time I rode a horse and what I did

I rode a horse just last night in my lesson! :) I've been riding Riko for several weeks now -- I made a point of telling K how much I like him and that I would love to keep riding him. Plus, my saddle fits him really well, so I've been riding in my own tack, too.

Last night we flatted for quite a while -- K was trying not to get them too sweaty, since it is chilly here, but Riko had gone in the lesson before mine, so that didn't work very well for him! 

Once we were warmed up, we practiced counter-cantering a few times down the long side of the arena. The first time I asked for the right lead while tracking left, Riko was like, "Oh, silly human, you're confused. But, don't worry, I've got this..." and off he went on the left lead! I brought him back to a walk, increased the bend to the outside, really exaggerated my inside leg moving back and tried again and he went, "Oh, you meant it. Ok." and picked up the right lead for a few strides. I instantly praised him and then he switched back to the left in the corner. 

The next time around, as we came into the short end before I was going to be asking for a counter-canter, I really focused on collecting him and getting an active walk, bending him to the outside, and preparing him by moving my inside leg back. I asked in the far corner for the right lead, and he instantly gave it to me. I praised him and then I held him in a tight package down the long side. When we got to the next corner, I asked him to walk and gave him a huge pat.

After that, we started warming up over a single crossrail and then she told us our course:

Riko was kind of full of himself, so she told me if I needed to, to bring him back to a walk, let him compose himself and then carry on. I didn't intend to do that, but coming out of the line to the single on the side with the right angle turn to the single in the middle, I clearly said with my body, "Hey, buddy, we're going left." And he clearly said with his much bigger body, "No, I don't know how to turn left, so we're going right."

I made him walk, and go left, and then asked for my canter and carried on. But I was so concerned about getting some "whoa" a few strides out, while also staying out of his way over the fence, that I forgot to do the right angle turn to the last fence...this happened both times we did the course. Oops. 

K said that's ok, he's being a turd and he's jumping these little crossrails like they are 2'6", so I care more that you grabbed mane, stayed with him, and rode well.