It's been a busy summer. I can't believe it's almost over although Fall is the best season for riding.

I had the very best ride today that I have ever had in my entire life! A bunch of lightbulb moments with 2 really important ones.

I get the half halt now. All Harry needs is a tensing of my abs for the halfhalt. What an amazing response I get! It's perfect. I also learned "bump". When I put it all together, even amateurishly, I got the most wonderful response. At the lope it felt like he was running downhill and getting faster and faster and at the same time he'd get bouncier and bouncier. Finally I had to stop. It was rough, exhausting and just a little scarey because of it's out-of-control feeling.

WELL, it was all me. Poor guy :-(. Addressing one issue at a time: the downhill feeling was because he was behind the vertical. My response was to grab on tighter and tigher which caused him to collect and pop his knees higher and higher = stiff and bouncy. Jennifer was watching and explained the 'bump' and the 'halfhalt' along with why they are used together. The bump corrected the behind the vertical, the halfhalt put him back on his haunches which not only slowed him down, smoothed it out but created an 'uphill' feeling which is so much safer feeling! What a lovely lope he has.

I practiced the hh at the jog and was absolutely amazed at how little it takes to make him go and to be correct. His transition from w to j is a hh and a little squeeze. Without the hh, I get nothing. Now I just sit up, sit down, tense my abs and close my legs on him and he gives back a lovely jog.

Another big moment came when I was attempting to turn around. He kept backing up. That's when I realized my neck reining consisted of more pull back than lay on the neck. That one was easy to fix.

It's a good thing Jennifer was riding her horse at the same time. If she hadn't called an end to the lesson, I think I'd still be out there having a ball with my horse. For the first time since I got him (obviously I thought this would all be a piece of cake) I'm optimistic that I WILL actually be able to ride him and show him next year. Until now I was feeling that this was one big, expensive mistake. And feeling like crap because everyone else who's ridden him went on and on about how easy he is, how great he is, how happy he is, and it was all I could do to get him to walk on.

Poor Harry, and yet he remains Happy! He got lots of treats when we were done and a thorough massage. Then he was turned out with his buddies on a fresh pasture with grass about 6 inches high. Horse Heaven!

Hopefully tomorrow won't be to rainy...I'm anxious to get back on and practice some more.