Riding Project.......

With the warm weather quickly on the rise I have finally had time to ride, which I have really wanted to do! Even if it was for fifteen minutes at least it would give her some practice with the aides of a mounted rider. I haven't worked with her in a while I always like to start the warm-up with some lunging and then I will get on her and ride at only a walk. I work her up to it, instead of doing everything all at once. You have to work your horse up to it and do little bits at a time. She is good about moving off of the leg and off of pressure. Right leg moving to the right, left leg moving to the left. I have mastered with her walking when I cluck to her and squeeze with both legs. She is good about turning from left to right, she is good about reversing and changing directions as well as changing leads and side-passing. The only thing that I need to correct with her big time is STOPPING, and stopping from tossing the head. If I get for her a martingale that should stop her from tossing her head. The next step in my training process would be bit training her. I only use as of the time that I am riding her a halter and connectable reins. Which seem to work fine, but for the future after getting her used to all of the other good stuff it will be time to start introducing her to the bit. I plan on riding her every single day for at least fifteen minutes to practice with her the aides that a mounted rider would do. Right now I am only practicing certain things with her in the arena, I have not taken her out in the field or out on the trails yet. I am hoping to take her to the Gettysburg Battlefield trails either this summer or next summer. Wish me luck! I look forward to experiencing some new things with her and learning along with her. I look forward to accomplishing many of my goals with her for the 2014 year.