|
Post by cyndi on Mar 18, 2014 17:03:28 GMT -5
Way to go, Kirk!! I know that when I was 12 that would've been the best gift ever, too!! I am thinking about asking M for another riding lesson soon. I seems like I just need someone to 'hold my hand' in order to get on Fanny again, ever since I fell off her. We might spend the time trying different saddles on her, with a little bit of riding thrown in there, but I'd be okay with that.
|
|
|
Post by Kirk Martin on Mar 18, 2014 21:43:57 GMT -5
Hi Cyndi, It's a little unnerving to fall off. In my case, the saddle was spinning on the horse when I'd put weight in the stirrup (she had lost some weight). Fortunately for her, I've lost some weight too so not quite the issue it was. I tried to make it easy on the horse and instead of mounting straight up, I went a little more forward than usual. Of course Relen took the time to step towards me so I sailed over her and ended up in the dirt with wounded pride. Horses like their comfort so take the time to get a good-fitting saddle. Comfortable horses make happy partners. I'm learning all of this for the first time starting at age 47. You can do it!
|
|
|
Post by cyndi on Mar 19, 2014 8:08:36 GMT -5
Thanks for the pep talk, Kirk I'm a year younger than you, and have been at this for almost eight years already. I sure hope you don't take as long to learn things as I have!! lol It sounds like you are way ahead of me already because you have a good support system in place. I ended up having to do a lot of stuff on my own...but I've learned a lot. Maybe the hard way, but I have learned I agree about the saddle. As you've seen in this thread, I've had a few saddles already, but I don't think I'm quite there yet. Things happen so quickly when I fall off (the spook happens quickly...the rest seems to be in slow motion!), I think a deep Spaniard saddle is what I need just to keep me in place!! lol I'm thinking that the next time I have a lesson, my coach is going to try the $5,000 saddle that is sitting in the tack room on Fanny. I thought it was her saddle, but apparently it belongs to a friend who doesn't use it much anymore, so she's got it at our barn for however long she needs it. Not that the saddle will fit simply because it costs $5,000, but apparently it fits a wide range of horses. We'll see!
|
|
|
Post by Kirk Martin on Mar 19, 2014 9:55:52 GMT -5
I'm a bit ahead of you now Cyndi (not riding-wise). Started riding at 47 two years ago but doing the math I'm 49 now. I just want to learn the hard stuff while my body can still take it lol.
|
|
|
Post by cyndi on Mar 19, 2014 12:43:53 GMT -5
Good thinking!! lol I hope you don't have to learn any of the hard stuff!! Does Relen have a lot of riding time on her, or is she still fairly green? It sounds like you had a good ride on her out on the trails (or were you riding a different horse?). You're miles ahead of me in that area!! But there is always a lot to learn, isn't there? Especially where horses are concerned!
|
|
|
Post by ghostrider on Mar 19, 2014 13:15:17 GMT -5
Testing! Testing! the past two days I've replied on here and the posts are not posting.
|
|
|
Post by Kirk Martin on Mar 19, 2014 15:11:59 GMT -5
Hi Cyndi, Relen is an experienced horse that was owned by my friend's father. He wanted a Paso Fino trained like a Quarter Horse that only walked. Her dad can no longer ride so I'm riding his 14 y.o. horse. Relen hadn't been ridden more than a handful of times in the last two years. The horse was really an intermediate level horse with a temperament of 4 from 1 to 10 but she still is a loving friendly horse, just stubborn and occasionally impatient (she likes to paw the ground when she's bored). The prior time I took her out on the trail, she kept trying to circle back to the trailer as if to say Uhhh Unhhh. I had to convince her we were going the other way.... I've had to work to get her to Corto (somewhat like a trot) and she's nearly broken into a Largo (speed walking) on occasion. She's not used to having to work. She's getting used to my advanced beginner clumsy riding and I'm learning to soften up my hands and cues so we're finally working together. She's building up some muscle and seems to be enjoying herself. One thing that freaks her out is the noise when my helmet hits some small twigs/branches. Fortunately, she freezes in place when scared. What used to be frustrating is she'd stop every time she thought I was off balance so it was stop..start...stop...start but after a little riding with her, she got some confidence in me and doesn't do that anymore. She's a great horse and teaches me a lot.
|
|
|
Post by Kirk Martin on Mar 19, 2014 15:14:38 GMT -5
Don't have any webpages to link to so I'll change my avatar so you can see Relen
|
|
|
Post by cyndi on Mar 19, 2014 15:32:39 GMT -5
Relen sounds like a wonderful horse, and she is very pretty I'm sorry for forgetting...but is she the horse you would own, or is it a gelding that you'd own? Who was the other horse in your previous avatar? There have definitely been times that I wish that I would've gotten a seasoned steady-eddie as my first horse (or at least a horse that had been ridden regularly before I got her), but that wasn't how things worked out, so I am determined to grow together with Fanny. I must be very unsteady on a horse, because experienced school horses will stop to make sure I'm okay. I think it's because I have a stronger and/or a weaker side of my body which puts me off balance on a horse. Fanny puts up with a lot from me, yet she remains a gentle horse. We also do a lot of stop and go. I like to think I'd get better with time spent in the saddle, but it's hard when you can't even stay in the saddle!! The phrase I keep repeating over and over is, "We'll get there yet!". lol When I'm on the ground with Fanny, she will usually freeze somewhat when something startles her, but when I'm on her she becomes even more sensitive and alert, and does the little crow hop thing. I need to work on 'spooking in place' when I'm on her. I started John's book "Lyons on Horses" a while ago, and then started a couple more books at the same time, and I need to get back into it.
|
|
|
Post by Kirk Martin on Mar 19, 2014 18:01:54 GMT -5
Cyndi, Meet Valeroso, the 5-6 y.o. Paso Fino gelding that I've been training with my friend. Love this guy. Someday....
|
|
|
Post by cyndi on Mar 19, 2014 18:24:07 GMT -5
Ah, yes, I recognize his name now He is a handsome boy, that's for sure! Keep your positive attitude. I hope that someday he is yours
|
|
|
Post by ghostrider on Mar 19, 2014 21:48:24 GMT -5
Can you post photo's Kirk? The pic of Relen and the pic of V are the same?
|
|
|
Post by Kirk Martin on Mar 20, 2014 7:06:19 GMT -5
I'll review the forums on how to do it, when I change the avatar it revises all of my posts with the same picture. So Relen's picture was only up for about an hour before I swapped it with a new photo of Valeroso. I'll post once I figure it out. I just don't have a web page to link to for photo posting.
|
|
|
Post by cyndi on Mar 20, 2014 7:59:58 GMT -5
Kirk, you no longer need something like Photobucket in order to post pictures. That was great news for all of us, as it makes life so much easier The easiest way to post a photo is to click on "reply" when you post a message, rather than just typing in the "quick reply" section. When you click on "reply", that's when you have access to all the emoticons (or whatever they're called), as well as font size, etc.. There is also an "add attachment" button you can click on, and you can choose a photo from your computer's photo album. It just can't be any bigger than 1MB, so you'll have to make the photo smaller and set up a new 'resized' folder to use. We use "Photo filter" to change the size of our photos, which we downloaded for free. It's easy enough for even me to use! lol Perhaps others in here use something else. Or...if you post a message just using the "quick reply" area, you can hit "edit" once your post is up, and the 'window' you'll be in has all the options and "add attachment".
|
|
|
Post by Kirk Martin on Mar 20, 2014 10:04:33 GMT -5
Think I have this figured out... This is Relen, the sweet yet stubborn Paso Fino
|
|