My First Lope (in 3 months)

Last weekend was awesome!

When I arrived I enjoyed some quiet time in the sun with Blu.  He was hanging out in his paddock so I joined him.  We just relaxed together and enjoyed the beautiful weather.  

When it came time to saddle up for my lesson I was happy that I could put the saddle on myself without pain.  Though Todd (and Sharon) is still doing the lunging for me - the constant tug on the lead line pulls my back at an awkward angle and I'm not-so patiently 'saving' my back for actual riding.  And I can now mount from the shorter mounting block.  Soon I should be able to do it all.   Baby steps.

 

Todd still got on first

Is it ok to say how amazing my horse looked?  He moves so nicely.  A nice Western Pleasure jog and a smooth, slow lope.  Ahhhhhh :-)

Then it was my turn!!!!  I walked and jogged Blu around the arena for about 10 minutes - at one point Blu broke from the jog to the walk because I'd lost my concentration when I looked over at Todd to tell him how amazing his jog was (while making silly faces).  That'll teach me!  But seriously, it was SO cool to ride.

I suppose after 3 months it's ok to not be the smoothest thing around - but here I am at my first lope.

When my lesson was over it was Sharon's turn!  She and Nazz really click.  They have a lot of fun, too.

Blu gets his grain at dinner

On Sunday the weather was gorgeous once again - and we had another great lesson.  I'd used up the memory card and didn't bring my laptop so I couldn't empty it.  No pictures or video of that lesson.  But it went even better than Saturday's.  Probably because it was no longer my "first" lope!  I could have ridden for hours, but Blu's farrier, Wayde, was waiting (very patiently, I might add).  So when my lesson was done I brought Blu over so he could get his new "tennies." (and used my phone to take these pictures.)

Hammering in a nail

My view while sitting on an overturned bucket

Crimping the nails on a rear shoe

I hung around because Blu has a hard time standing still when his back feet are worked on - not sure if you remember me mentioning it last spring - and someone has to hold Blu.  I was going to hold him while Wayde worked on his feet but it turned out to not be necessary.  Blu stood still for the whole thing.  (Good Boy Blu!)

By the time Blu's shoes were on, Sharon was finished with her lesson and we turned the two boys out together in the big pasture.  They got to spend the rest of the afternoon playing together and I got to spend it driving home!