Oh Mare, and Friends!

Last week was great, that is until I had my lesson. I had ridden on Saturday, Sunday and Tuesday and she had the other days off. I had planned on lunging her one other day but we've had thunderstorms almost every day and I've just been lucky that some of them left my evenings free. My lesson on Thursday started off ok and she lunged well but as soon as I climbed on I found out that she was not going to be easy. She was speedy and then balky and she kept getting above the contact. She fought me and J on every. little. thing. We finally found a brief moment of harmony and quit while we were ahead. 

This look pretty much sums up the whole lesson.

Or maybe this one...

Ponies :-)

Then on Friday which is normally a day off for her I went to hang out with friends and I, ahem, indulged a little more than I normally do and woke up on Saturday just wishing I hadn't. I was pretty rough until later in the afternoon and I knew I wasn't capable of doing anything with the brat queen herself so I just left it. I rode yesterday and was waiting for her to try the evasions she had attempted on Thursday but nope, nothing, pony was a sweet little angel just like I know she can be. Today I rode as well and again she was sweet angel pony and again tried none of the same evasions she was pulling in the lesson. In fact she gave me time both days to work on myself which is great and very mature of her :)

I would say that the difference is my fault and that I'm putting more pressure on us during lessons, and I'm sure I am, but after thinking about it over the past few days I think it is more likely that she was upset because the mares had been brought in and given their dinner of grain and hay. She had been eating grass all day but of course grain time is her favorite. Most of the time J times it so that won't happen around lesson time but this time it did.

I can't wait for tomorrows ride to see if we can continue in this positive cooperative way.

In other news, one of my close highschool friends is coming back to town! Her name is Haley and I haven't seen her in around 7-8 years. I didn't see her much at all in college and now she's been in college in North Dakota but she moved back to the northern part of the cities and is going to be boarding with me!!! She messaged me a few months ago asking about good boarding barns and I gave her a whole list. I really didn't think that we would ever end up at the same barn but after watching my lesson as well as the three lessons after me she was completely sold on J's teaching style and the overall feel of the barn and is moving her horse here.

I am so completely pumped! She also has a 14.1 hand pony named Gryffin, isn't that adorable!, and it will be wonderful to have someone I know to ride with and hang out with. 

Gryffin :-)