Wednesday, January 30, 2013

"Just ride the trot!"

So today at the barn I took Siaga to the indoor for a little bareback ride. I had my helmet, Siaga had his halter and a leadrope looped around his neck and tied at the clasp like reins on a bosal.

After about 20 minutes of just walking around and reminding him of how to change direction, whoa, and go, from my seat, I lifted my ribs, pushed my hips, and asked for a trot. Now normally Siaga is either "Nooooope, I'm waaaaalking." OR he goes "You want fast? I'll show you fast!!!" But today, he was like "Oh, trot? Ok." And he took a few pattering strides and stopped, and I praised him wholeheartedly.

And we kept doing it until we got a span of trotting half way around the indoor. It was lovely! He has such a nice trot and it's so easy to ride, even bareback with no bridle, as I wasn't focusing on guiding his direction, just keeping him moving along at a trot. Next time will be a "cruise control" lesson, I think, with pretty much nothing but trotting.

Hurray!

Sunday, January 27, 2013

Holy Moly!

Wow, yeah, I've been gone quite a while, haven't I!?

Let us update, yet again.

So I've started back to school, I'm officially enrolled in all online classes at Ivy Tech of Richmond, Indiana, and I'm studying Business Administration, aiming towards that dream goal of mine to run a rescue.

Siaga is getting wonderful at moving off of my seat. I don't normally have enough time (between working two jobs (even though I still am employed at the tractor place, I am laid off until spring) and going back to school) to fully saddle up and actually RIDE, so Siaga and I just don a halter and a lead rope looped around and tied like reins on a bosal, and my helmet, and we just putter around the arena like that. Because of the decided lack in contact to his mouth, I'm getting more forceful with my seat and making him listen to that, and gradually I have been able to relax and give him lighter signals that he responds to.

I also thought lately that it would be really amazing to take up mounted archery, since that will really help he and I work as a team and as one rather than two separate beings with two minds working not together.

We'll see. I have to get a bow and arrows first and master my aim from the ground before I climb up there for that. lol