Clinic with Gayle

Saturday, we hosted a riding clinic with Gayle.  It went well and she said she would come back again next month.  Can you see me doing somersaults?

We were up early in the morning.  I hobbled into the kitchen and made muffins while Brett did the barn chores.

There's a spoonful of plum jam in the center.  Yum!!

I taped up my broken toes extra tight and squeezed them into my boot.  I was up first.  Winston was a handful.  He didn't want to work, he didn't want to take the contact, and he tried to kick me at canter again.  Gayle was watching closely and said that it was an obedience issue.  He, apparently, had a downright belligerent expression on his face.  So we worked.  I didn't fight but I was persistent and he eventually decided to give.  Gayle laughed and said the expression on his face was priceless -- a huge release and softening in his eye, then he took the contact and went to work.  He's being a typical kid but he's also old enough now to be consistent and obedient.

Brett was up next.  He had to work to keep Flash forward but, other than that, they did great.  I think a week of being trail horses got the horses thinking like laid back cow ponies.

After Brett, we had a Western rider on her horse, Bella.  They worked on slowing down using just seat aids.  Bella, who is some breed I have never heard of from Venezuela, was rushing around at first.  She was nicely round and relaxed by the end.

Jackson stood in the corner of the pasture closest to the arena and watched.  Poor boy.  He would have loved to be out there too.

Winston was sound asleep in the run-in shed after his bath and a roll.  It's hard work being a brat.

The last ride was another of our neighbors on her Arabian, Caliber.  He was very high headed and spooking when they started.  She wanted help working with him when he is looking for reasons to go off, which they did.  They went on to do some lovely trot work.  She will definitely be back next month when Gayle comes back.

Overall, it was a successful clinic and I'm pleased.  Gayle will come back and the riders were all happy with their lessons.  She left all of us with plenty of homework.

My toes did hurt like hell when we finished, though.  Broken toes or not, Gayle works us hard.