Riding with Kids

I was going to head out on a ride when the kids showed up after school. Delaney wanted to skip karate and ride with me!?!? Of course, I'm absolutely thrilled. So we get our act together, he rode Rain and I rode Z and ponied Gemini. All three of my horses out and about with a kid, too! Nirvana? Darn close. We even had Deuce, the wonder trail dog. Gemini is a hard horse to pony because he gets so bored. He has to make fun for himself by fiddling with ropes, saddle strings, Z's neck... Arrrggghhh! Just walk and keep your hands to yourself, Gemini! It's especially fun because Z does not like being the pony horse - especially to geldings. So, every 100 yds, she reaches back and tells him he's annoying and then I have to ask her to please just do her job then Gemini reacts to being scolded by her then she's reacting to my request for her to just walk and do her job... The whole time, I'm quite sure that Gemini is snickering to himself. For a brief moment, he's not so bored. Comical.

Delaney did great on Rain - he's getting better about handling her and she's such a safe kid horse. Every barn needs a horse like Rain. We went about 5 miles. We took a new trail - a good thing for me. I'm starting to name the trees since I see the same ones so often.

Z and I worked on stopping, slowing and backing to my seat only. We were getting something good going towards the end. We worked on speeds within the walk gait.

Then, it was Kendall's turn. She came running out, I shortened the stirrups as much as I could and she and I headed off. Z and I worked more on halt from my seat, sidepass, half-passing, isolation of the ends while Kendall just happily rode along. She and I rode in the front pasture. She asked me jump Z over a jump, so I got Z acquainted to the jump and then went for it. Tip: don't jump high jumps in a western saddle. Ouch. Horn jammed into sternum area. Not good.

Nice day mixing kids and horses. I love it. I also worked for hours in the barn today, watching horses mosey around the track. Rain chose to hang with me most of the time. She's the best.

Dennis tomorrow. Yea!!