Back in the Saddle

     Life happens sometimes, and for Jellybean that usually means no riding or doing anything more than eating, sleeping, and running around. Life has been happening since right before Christmas, when I last decided I would try out the 30 days plan. In the meantime, its been a solid life for Jellybean. Hanging out with Oberon, eating hay, and kicking the stall walls at other horses. Until yesterday.

     On Sunday or Monday, I was feeling like it was Jellybean's time. So I got her out and lunged her in the cutting pen to see how much she remembered. Yesterday I took it to the next level and set up to ride. I lunged her on the line to warm up, then I mounted up and tried to work on walking and turning, then trotting and turning. I didn't want to push her, but I wanted to see how far she would go before I found a hole in her knowledge. And I was so pleased!

     Not only did she remember almost all of the cues on the lunge line, but she stood still for mounting and then walked and turned with minimal fuss. She was distracted by some of the other things going on around her, but she wasn't reactive, just curious. I worked on turning at the trot also, and she moved off my legs very well, except when she decided she wanted to do something else, and Robert backed up my leg cue with the lunge line.

     I am very pleased, because she seems to remember everything we learned before the winter break! We still have lots of work to do, but I definitely feel like its fairly linear at this point. (As I type this, I know I will be frustrated again very soon :)) So in closing, I have a picture of Jellybean and me.