A very fun day!

We went out to Ingalls Arena in Norco yesterday. Jim and Lani Muche came out to take some follow up pictures for their article in The Equestrian News. As always it was wonderful to see them and the great photos are attached!

I got to finally ride with Jennifer White and her mare Ruger and Mary and Striker, I am amazed at what Mary has done with Striker. Those horses are awesome! I was able to also meet Madelyn Wagner and her mare. That is a very athletic horse! She has done a bunch of good work on her mare! She can move diagonal across the arena at a floating trot like a dressage horse. Very responsive mare!

Hottie was there just gaiting around and wasn't thrilled about the bucking shutes but otherwise she was Hottie, trot, trot, trot, stop, beat, beat, beat! I really am torn between making her canter or just developing her gait. I know people who ride gaited horses want the horse for the gait. Well see what happens!

Finally we canter.

My baby girl Sydney! She loves her Hottie girl! No more cast!

I am so lucky to have good friends! I was able to use Sue's arena today which is bigger than Caren's and finally was able to get my little black gaiting mustang to canter! Woo hoo. I also had another bucking disaster on Sunday so I have changed into a short shanked snaffle bit for a little more leverage if it ever happens again I will be able to pull her head up. We actually had a nice ride on Sunday at Ingalls Arena until the bucking incident! I will say that the incline they told us we are going to have to ride up is a friggen rocky hill. I was a little discouraged after the bucking incident but am good now. I have put it all in perspective in my head and realize that any other horse I would be training at this point I would not be pressing this hard and this little mare trys her heart out to learn what I want from her. She had caution tape all over her today and tin cans tied all over her also. Around her neck is just a remnant to remind her to behave or for people to stay away!

Good times!

Decided to take Hottie out on the trail today by myself for the second time. We were much improved from the first time. It is pretty active today with gunsils running down the yuppie trail. So a few times I had to get off to prepare her for the oncoming ding dongs! She still thinks horses running at her means something really bad must be chasing them and we must go too! She is really doing well, I am very proud of her. It was cool and breezy. She was very brave! We for the first time met some squeaky mailboxes. I didnt dare open it while mounted alone! So I opened it from the ground and she still ended up jumping 5 ft away from it! It all ended up good though! She got used to the mail and the mailbox so hopefully next time will be easier!

I opened Sue's mailbox today! I want to thank her for the use of it and let you in on some EXCELLENT JEWELRY! Visit her website for awesome Poni Girl Jewelry!
www.poni-girl.com