Dennis and Gemini

Ground work - rocking on the teeter, hooves on everything, nice falling leaf...

Then saddle on, tight rear cinch and lots of bucking... Dennis told me to take the saddle completely off when the bucking stopped. We did that few times. Gemini really bucked hard and often! So, I was doing lots of saddle on, saddle off. After a while, my horse realized that bucking was a lot of work and the saddle hadn't killed him yet. He decided maybe he'd get with the program. We went in the round pen and developed his change of direction some and the send on the circle. The allow was there, but Gemini was certain the door wasn't open. Dennis took him for a bit and played with him. It helps his hip to get in there with a horse and it helps my horse to have more skill on the end of his rope.

Dennis was trying to get me to use my stick and rope better on teh change of direction. I need to reach over, grab the rope and at the same time pass the stick UNDER which helps me to push the hind end away and have it ready to send the horse the other direction. It takes coordination and I've practiced several times since. It makes sense and is definitely prettier than what I've been doing.

Then a great riding lesson where I'm better than ever at my timing, feel, and communication with the horse. Lots of cantering and asking for a nice, soft canter depart. At first, Gemini took the wrong lead when I asked for the canter. Dennis instructed me to use the outside heel behind the girth to help him get the right lead and VOILA! , never another wrong lead. Amazing.

A great lesson with my great gelding!