Look, no hands!

Kidding, I don't have a picture for you to look at. However, I did a good bit of no handed riding today.

R let me ride around on Brandy, and Brandy spent her time going "Seriously? You want me to WALK? Do you know how much energy that takes?" Anyways, R led me around first and then lunged at a walk, and I did my "homework" from Kathryn.

After that, R put Brandy's bridle on and gave me the reins and let me have at it. Brandy's a good horse for learning on, since she has no desire to even move at a walk. Let alone a trot. So I dropped the reins and let her go where ever she wanted to and did my practices, no hands, legs to the sides, legs up in front, toes on her rump, etc.

R told me "Ok, trot." I was scared to, without someone leading me. But I grabbed the reins and her mane (with enough length in the reins that she chose where to go, I just held on to them because it seemed smarter) and squeezed her into a trot and every time I would unbalance myself she would stop or walk and then we'd try again, when I could hold it for a bit, R told me to drop the reins. I did. Wasn't using them anyways. Then she told me to let go of her mane. I told her it was a big act on my part to drop the reins, already. She replied that if I was going to fall off, the reins wouldn't save me, and neither would a handful of mane. So I worked on letting go, keeping my hands there, but letting go, and eventually with my arms out to the side. No saddle, no reins, at a TROT! :D I was so excited.

But I am DEFINITELY sore now. Though I did a good bit of stretching to free up my back. :) So happy.