It’s getting dark much earlier now, so I am not staying out late riding. However, I am still managing to get in at least one after dinner ride. Tonight I rode Raudi after supper, it was raining. We took Tyra and Hrimmi to Saddle Up today and left her behind, this was my way of making it up to her and letting her know she’s still the number one riding horse. Is she able to relate cause and effect? I have no idea. But getting her out later in the day does verify for her that she has a purpose.

The lesson – how it went of course depends on who you ask. Me, I’d say that for this facilitator, it was very up and down. Judy and Ismee the mule get a

Judy and Alys

private lesson, which actually has been working out very well because they get my undivided attention. I am learning that no matter how I divvy up the teaching load, that there is no substitute for one-on-one teaching when the subject is hands on equitation.

I had it planned so that all would be working in three rotating stations, a mighty har har here because for this to work, I’d need (and thought I’d have) six students. Instead, I had three students, one for each station. I could only be in one station, and this was the equitation station. I asked Judy to handle the other two stations – she too could only handle one station, leaving one person adrift.

I did demos with Tyra and Hrimmi, and this didn’t go over very well because neither was very attentive. It was a new environment for both and so both were very distracted. But the good thing was that I was able to point out that when you change the environment, you change the horses’ ability to problem solve.

Jessica’s equitation lesson went well. I focused on the walk, and the images of having stubby legs, seeing yourself as a spruce tree, and three point seat, that is buttocks, seat bones and thighs.

Heather’s lesson on Hrimmi followed. Oh my – what a bust and we aren’t talking about what we see in museums. Hrimmi wasn’t wanting to move for Heather. I realized too late that what I asked Hrimmi to do was unfair, that is go to the far side of the arena, away from her herd buddy, Tyra, and deal with their being no obstacles. Though this was unfair, she took it in stride, no pun intended. I was then in a bind since the lesson theme was let’s instead of insist. I just wanted to go and get a crop and wail on her. Instead, I got the lunge line with the plastic bag on it and had her chase it. This got her going. I then got on her and got a bit more movement out her, but not much. Grr, grr, grr.

Oh well. Though this lesson did not go the way I wanted, it was good for me because I obviously learned things that I would not have learned had I opted to stay at home and watch the rain fall.

Next: 233. 8/25/20: Bright Lights on an Overcast Day