Last week, I felt a sore throat coming on Tuesday. By Wednesday morning, it was a cold. I decided to take Day-Quil to be able to keep going, and it helped a lot. I didn't want to miss my lesson at 5:30!! Well, I had to take my car in to be fixed Tuesday, we borrowed Alexandra's car, she took the keys home accidentally so Al had no way to get home, blah blah blah. Anyway, I had to cancel my lesson. :( Thursday I did ok with Day-Quil, but Friday SUCKED. So, after work I went straight to sShopKo and bought the liquid Ny-Quil and Day-Quil, and started pumping myself full. Saturday morning, I felt pretty OK. :) I was to meet Jackie at the barn at 10:30 to ride, and all was well. We had a great ride! We started in the arena, like we usually do, then took them out toward Beaver Dam Road by the field. We got pretty far, then turned around and went the other way, crossed the driveway and kept going! Kimi got a little spunky so we decided to head back, but all in all they did good! I have to say, Cocoa behaved really well. We were able to get to a place where we were both very relaxed. He was alert, but relaxed. Side note here: Seeing this from the ground is a LOT less exaggerated than in the saddle. Like, he'd put his head and ears up, and it would seem like he was maybe a little nervous. BUT, after TODAY'S ride, I get it when he's "concerned". OK, back to yesterday. :) I, for the first time, felt my low back relaxed and supple. I get the "rhythm" without working at it!!! I ride with soft legs, heels down, sitting straight but relaxed. Hands clasped around the reins, but soft when he's confident. I have learned to ride with my seat, which is ultra-cool. Oh yes, I am learning to ride the RIGHT way. Who knew that I would be riding wrong all this time?! Where was my head when I was doing lessons with Tracy!? I guess I didn't pay attention as well as I should have. Either way, we are on the right track now. :) He really responds to me, and wants to please me. He has his moments when he thinks about doing what HE wants to do, but he is NOT naughty. Perfect example was today... riding with Sue near Kimi's pasture... Kimi is racing around kicking up her adorable little heels, making a ruckus, and he stood there and looked at her... but he STAYED with ME! I get it that he's a good boy!! CeCe might have pulled right through the bit on that one and took me for a ride. Brandi may have, too. Leah? Nah. But Cocoa - he is perfect for me. OK, am I rambling? Totally rambling!!
OK, so to today. Had a lesson with Ute at 11:00am. She was very happy with our progress!! We did several laps at a forward walk, then did some diagonals and circling, and she stopped me and told me that we were now at the point where we had things down-pat, so we were ready to start doing a little trotting. (Suck in big breath here) I trust Ute. I'm going to do it. So, we do the drill like we did during one of our first lessons - Ute stands near the mounting steps, I come around the corner and trot to her. She reminds me if he gets going to quickly, to pull back and hold. Well, he felt like he was trotting REALLY fast!!!!! I tried slowing him, but I think I had my legs clasped on tight, so he was thinking I was asking for speed. I felt a little frustrated when I reached Ute that I couldn't slow him down. BUT, she complimented me on what a great job I did!! I must have looked puzzled, because she said "Charlotte... you didn't freak out!!!!!" And then it hit me - I didn't freak out!!!!!! Wow. HUGE. Can we do this? Yeah. We can do this (said with a half-grin and slowly nodding head). OK, so we do it again, and he feels like he's going super-fast again. We try it going the other direction - same thing. So Ute asks if she can get on and do a few laps with him. Well of course!! :) I saw him go from being inconsistent... going fast to slow... tight rein to loose rein, and I GOT it. He was trying to find what she wanted, and when he did, they fell in to it. THAT's what's going to happen with us. OK, so I get back on and try getting in to a trot. He's like, mmmmmm-naaaahhh. So I grab the little leather poppers on my saddle and give him a little shmack on the hinder. :) We get in to a trot, and we round a corner. I remember to turn my shoulders. We're still trotting. We round another corner. I'm posting, I know where my hands are, and I am turning my shoulders/seat! We come up to the next corner, same thing. We keep going - another corner, another, another and another!!! He drops out of his trot, but at this point it's OK!!!!!!!!! We did it!! And on that note, we ended our lesson on a big high. :) Our next lesson is Wednesday and I can hardly wait! I sooo look forward to them! So after the lesson, Sue, Kristin and I went around the property on a little trail ride. We had been everywhere we went, but there were a few places where he hesitated. I did pretty good in supporting him, and asked for the ladies to stop and wait a few times when they got far ahead of me. We did do some trotting on the trails to catch up a few times, but I think Cokes was a little tired. :) All in all, we ended on a great note all around. Treats and grass were for sure in order! But, we had one more order of business. A bath.
Our first bath in the wash stall in the A Barn. There were four horses ahead of us, but we were in no hurry. We waited 'er out, and when it was our turn, we carefully walked in to the stall - Cocoa being very cautious about stepping on the mats. I let him smell and check it out, and take his time with encouragement. He TRUSTED me completely and came in! We learned how to operate everything and he had a fantastic little bath. Of course he went and rolled in the sand when I put him back in paddock, but it was great and I could tell he enjoyed the feeling of the warm water. :) I love that little boy SO darn much!!!
While I missed Al, I was glad to have all of the time to spend with Cocoa Bean and bond even more.
How blessed I truly am. <3
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