We survived and Lucas got passed by a pleasure horse!

Well I was still a little tired this morning when I went to the barn but decided to ride anyways. I was absolutely fantastic out at about 14 degrees, and the sun was shining.

Lucas was a dink to start out with he didn't want to do anything so I had to put the feet to him (still not wearing spurs) but we rode with 2 other horses and he was really good with passing them and then having them pass him. D thinks that I might be keeping my upper body to far back when I ask him to move foreword and its sending a mixed message to him and Im stopping his movement with my hips.

We did some jog/trot circles that we made smaller and smaller until we stopped did a turn on the haunch and at first totted off of. Once we had all done that a couple of times we worked on cantering out of the haunch turn. We started off with Lucas bad way and I was worried but D talked me though it, hes great at letting me figure it out but right at the point where I run out of options in my head he steps in with just the right information.

We ended up getting the right lead about 1/2 of the time but we did have a couple of times where I managed to get him 'right' and I felt that it was right, before I got to ask for the lead, and he got the correct one. Its the fact that my left lower side of the body is so much stronger than my right I find it hard to keep the bend correct though his body for the lead to be right. Our good direction was good but he fought a bit with his head when we first got going. Just out of practice I think, he got better as we went on but we were both very tired when we were done. However we did get passed by the pleasure bred horse in the ring and managed to not pass anyone. But I was having to kick him almost every stride to keep him going! I need to find a happy medium between having to keep spurs off for the first part of the ride then adding back part way into the ring. I might ride tomorrow if my back stays good.

Lucas got a quick bath to finish off with, and the people spent some time out in the sun to relax. The grass is slowly starting to grow again so Lucas can start his 'gardening' program hopefully soon again. I love taking him for walks so he can enjoy the grass. :)