First lesson with a new instructor, spooking, and a great end to the week.

I've been so lazy keeping up with the training logs this week! I'll try summarize everything and hopefully, will be a more diligent next week!

Monday:
We did bareback work. It wasn't too much work on Max's end since I was a bit of chicken to go fast, so we kind of plodded around at a trot, and did some canter. We went over some ground poles too. Nothing much to report..Max was very good and I had sore legs by the end of it.

Tuesday:
Lots of transitions on this day - walk /trot,  trot/canter, walk/canter etc. Layered in some serpentines and spirals, as well as a couple of ten meter circles and one loop. Again Max was a doll - worked hard with no drama.

Thursday:
Raining cats and dogs for hours and hours. Max was super spooky at the beginning and had a bit of a freak-out session. It turned out he didn't have turn-out that day and had all this pent up energy. The new trainer and I lunged him and he was a streak of color for twenty minutes. After that I hopped back on and we had a wonderful lesson - focusing on relaxation and rhythm. I really like this new instructor. She's very kind to the horse, and very soft spoken and generous to the rider. Looking forward to more lessons with her. Also she left me her Butet saddle to pop on Max when we do have a jumping lesson - how cool is she!

Saturday:
This was a quick day as I had plans that afternoon. Hopped on and worked on the same stuff we worked on on Thursday. Long and low walk and trot, with transitions that were soft and, as she put it, melted into one another. Worked on getting my right leg back, and knees a little more closed - which was her major note on my position.

Sunday:
Today was incredible. Max balked when we headed to the indoor, and refused to move forward. We worked on it for about ten minutes and VICTORY! He finally plodded in! It felt like such a huge accomplishment I nearly ended the ride there! lol

Well we continued to have a very wonderful warm-up in the indoor before heading out on our own. There are a couple of spots where he balks - up a hill, and in a grassy area near a neighboring farm. So we walked up the hill and he walked through everything with only a few looks, and not even one pause! Then we walked down the hill toward the barn, which he has a tendency to rush down. He was very good though and went at my pace.

The 'scary' hill is up ahead, by the indoor.

I was about to hop off to try on the trainers saddle, when a boarder I never met before (but have met her horse) introduces herself and asks if I'd like to go on a walk about! How could I say no!  So we went around to the other end of the farm, out onto a road and into a forest trail and looped back.

When we got back, I threw the Butet on and headed to the indoor. After riding a few rounds in the somewhat uncomfortable saddle (which feels soooo different from my dressage saddle!) - another boarder who I've ridden out with before, comes up to me on her horse and asks if I'd like to ride up the road with her.

Couldn't say no to that either - and what a good opportunity to try the saddle out outside the arena. So we plodded along up the road, and back down, where I decided Max had about enough and hopped off. He was tired, but seemed like he had a really good time.

And to that, comes the icing on the cake. That same lady I rode out with had agreed to turning her horse out with Max in a big field for full-day turn out. We were so excited to try this, we couldn't wait and decided to go ahead with it this afternoon!!

They were sooooo cute together! I can't do it justice with words so here are a couple of pics. On to next week's adventures!!