The stable was closer than I thought. I thought I would be driving to Monument but I ended up at Woodmen and Marksheffel. The facility is not too bad of a drive if I wanted to board there. No indoor arena though and that's a big deal for me.
The day was pretty windy and cold...I really missed riding inside, I've gotten spoiled but I know the boarding facilities that have an indoor come with a price tag...one I'm SOOO willing to pay! Ramses was a 15.3 light bay gelding that Vicki had me riding. We tacked him up outside of her trailer/tack room. Then headed to a dressage size (I'm guessing) outdoor arena with letter stakes.
I'm not too familiar with the lettering scheme, I just know that certain dressage movements start and end at specific points. Vicki had me begin posting trot in a figure 8 and I made the same mistake I always make with Laurie, I did a figure eight in mathematical terms not a dressage figure 8. Dressage figure 8 is actually two circles bumped up next to each other, not the swirling figure 8 like the number I just typed. Ooops! Well at least she's seeing that I'm not a big competition person.
Apparently Vicki is and competes cross country with a rather handsome dark bay thoroughbred gelding. Ramses was very tall to me and I was glad there was a mounting block to use. I love her reins, they were a rubber weave I think...very grippy. I'll have to look for that when I buy my headstall. The braided reins I had when I rode Willy were nice but these I think I liked better, they were smoother feeling than the braided reins but still had a nice grippy feel.
Vicki had me post the trot doing circles using the letters....I so was not even training level dressage I guessed by the look on her face when I was confused by the lettering! LOL. She set up cones and had me aim to ride between the cones as a point to help me better visualize where my circle should be. I did improve and she had me do figure 8's, dressage ones, and then an hour glass shape around the ring.
Ramses was not responsive like Divine but I think I was just feeling him out. I really needed to push him to keep him trotting, a hard task as I was beginning to tire and would have been perfectly content if he'd come to a dead stop and fell asleep standing in the middle of the ring with me perched on top catching my breathe. But alas I had to keep pushing him as Vicki kept pushing me to keep the bend and trot around the ring.
When we were done with the lesson I untacked him and brought him into a stall where Vicki had his dinner waiting. It was a nice lesson and I could see going to her again to occasionally supplement Laurie's lessons. Honestly I feel more comfortable with Laurie but it is good to try new things occasionally and ride a new horse. As for the facility, I'm not interested in exploring it mainly because of no indoor arena....I need one since I don't want weather or darkness to interfere with being able to ride. An indoor arena is a major priority for me, it just is!
Anyways, I just want my own horse.....NOW! That way I can ride every day of the week, when ever works out for me! That time is coming soon....I just can't wait! Until then, happy riding!
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