Ride as much as you can!

After spending a few days in Kansas last week, I escaped from work early and went to Cheval Acres to work with Sister and ride with Mallory and Flame.  The temp was cool and the afternoon a bit windy but we rode in the big arena until Mallory had to dash to Tulsa to pick up children from school.  Both mares were good as we worked circles, straight lines, and leg yields.  Mallory and Flame even opened the gate so we could ride back to the barn. 

Sat. morning we headed to Inola for the Party Lesson!  Mallory/Mario, Roxanne/Trouper, Ivy/Pico, Alaina/Sunny, Mattie/Zoe, and me/Splash had a good lesson.  Mallory and I were in dressage gear, Ivy and Roxie in hunt seat, Mattie and Alaina in Western.  The lesson was fun for all.  Mallory had some fabulous canter departs and Splash was sound for walk/trot/canter.  He took correct leads although he dropped gait from left lead canter - we didn't canter small circles or very long.  Yeah!

We were planning lunch at La Masion in Catoosa when Ivy and Alaina ditched Patty and me to go see Harry Potter with Roxanne and crew.  They spent several hours in the movie theater but didn't actually see HP because of a fire alarm hoax.  Patty and I had a yummy lunch.

Then back to Lake Cheval to canter Sister!  Needless to say, we stayed in the round pen.  After a bit of lounging, we warmed up with walk/trot transitions.  Sister was clearly expressing reluctance to work, irritation with my requests, and a serious aversion to one side of the round pen when working to the LEFT!  It was a struggle for me, but we worked though it.  Then, we went to the right and asked for canter.  The depart was SLOW and FINALLY, with a Kick-out, we got canter.  Several circles around the pen and we dropped back to posting trot then sitting trot.  Then asked for canter again, Repeat.  Success a couple of times, then more Kick-out.  Yikes, can't stop yet, so more canter departs.  None prompt.  But, I survived some kick-outs.  Still not ready for prime time, but......  More canter work is in our future.

Sunday afternoon, after the girls and I volunteered at the Williams Water Stop at the Rt 66 Marathon, we played with the horses when Andrea and Nick dropped by for a ride.  Andrea got Sunny and he was a star, Alaina played with Diez, Ivy jumped Pico, and poor Nick got to WORK Splash.  Splash was not cooperative in the arena, but Nick persevered.  Then, off on a trail ride around the Wild O Ranch and Splash was better.  Pico the wonder trail horse was pretty good.  Diez and Sunny were very good. 

No one fell off although Alaina staged a dismount to try to scare us.  I think they had fun, I took lots of pictures.

So, even though I was horseing around all weekend, I didn't join my YaYa Sisters on the big Hunter Pace at Flint Ridge.  Maybe next year.... but I want to hear all the details ASAP.