A Good Way to Start College Again

...is riding baby crossrails on the back of an adorable Arabian gelding who's currently not getting worked much because he's decided to start bucking. :)

I seriously need to get a picture of my latest "advanced project horse."  He is just so cute! 

Lesson today with another instructor since the Coach is out of town.  Between working on sitting all gaits correctly (post coming on that, I have discovered why bareback was always my nemesis!) and trying to ride proactively to avoid problems with the horse--to protect his reputation and whatever else, since he is for sale, I shall call him Bay Boy--I had a grand time jumping again and working the Bay Boy without restraint.  Usually, because of his head tossing and sometimes obnoxious tendencies, he's on a martingale or neck stretcher, but we couldn't find either, so I rode him in just a full-cheek snaffle bit and regular headstall. 

He really is good, he doesn't need the martingale if you keep your hands up and let him know once or twice that throwing his head in your face doesn't go.  He does need to learn to carry himself better but I seriously suppose he has some physical issues with the way he goes around with his head cocked to one side half the time when you take a feel of the reins, and a quarter of the time even with no pressure whatsoever.  Hopefully some chiropractic work will help him feel better and maybe help him carry himself better. 

We had fun though, he was really locking on to the crossrail, but also responding beautifully to half-halts from my seat and cantering off the jump nicely.  And I only got left behind once when he massively over-jumped the thing.  Ha.  One bucking session but it was my fault, I asked for too much bend in a canter circle and about the time I thought, Ooops, this is too small!  he slipped a bit and then started bucking.  Not a good response but at least I know what caused it. 

So the instructor is happy he got worked, I am happy he was good overall, hopefully he is happy he got hosed off well and put out to pasture with lots of grass.  ;)  School starts tomorrow but at the moment I feel like I can conquer the world.  Ha isn't it funny horses can make you feel so great one minute and then knock you right off your pedestal the next.  Guess it's what makes riding so addictive. ;)