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Post by Lisa Atwood on Jul 10, 2007 7:05:10 GMT -5
As I unloaded the mare my parents got me I notice that the mare isn't like Midnight Dancer at all. Dreamer Creamer was full of energy that needed to be let lose. But I knew she would throw me if I didn't gain her trust then. I tied the mare to a pole. I hadn't groomed her yet. So I got out a brush and started to groom her. Dreamer Creamer turned her head and looked at me. I petted her face gently and smiled. She nudged my hand as if she trusted me that quick. I got her saddle out. I put it on her and made sure it was on tight enough for her. Then took her halter off and put her bridle on. Dreamer Creamer followed me around the whole ring with her tack on. I smiled and mounted up. I nudged her into a trot. She got right into it. I rode her at a trot wanting someone to join her and Dreamer Creamer.
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Post by rachael on Jul 10, 2007 8:24:13 GMT -5
Thanks Mom! As my mother rolled away with our white 2001 truck and trailer I smiled. I finally have the chance to work with Louie, oh how much I wanted to! He was much larger than Onatello but that was fine with me. His muscular body trembled as he turned his head to look around the new surroundings. I gave his neck a big pat and reached for a mint from my pocket. Good boy. I tightened the leather lead rope in my hands and began to walk towards the arena, seeing there was another person in it I tightened the rope even more. I wasn't sure how Louie would act towards other horses, especially moving ones. As I got to the mounting block I quickly grabbed my aqua blue saddle pad from the ground, where my mother had placed it, and laid it over his deep brown colored withers. Then, I put my unique one-of-a-kind saddle over it. Reaching for another mint, Good boy. I said once more. I lifted the saddle flap and tightened the girth as high as I could get it to go. Finally, moving to his bridle I carefully pulled his halter off his delicate head and replaced it with his simple snaffle. Giving him one last pat on the neck, I collected my reins and swung myself over his powerful warmblood cross body. Smiling to the other girl I started to squeeze my legs, releasing when he began to walk. Hi, I'm Chelsea. Chelsea Moss. |
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Post by Lisa Atwood on Jul 10, 2007 9:51:27 GMT -5
I smiled and slowed Dreamer Creamer down. " Hi, I'm Lisa Atwood. I just got this horse today and I am trying to figure out if she will be good enough to enter the Maclays competition" I said. Dreamer Creamer hated other riders for some reason. She snorted and held her head high.
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Post by rachael on Jul 11, 2007 14:49:53 GMT -5
Giving Louie a squeeze with my legs, we began to walk into the actual arena. Nice to meet you. I gave her horse a look over. She seemed nervous and a bit high-strung. To help with her raising her head up, you could try to use a martingale. It would help alot and give you alittle bit more control. I smiled, hoping she wouldn't think I was a know it all. I pressed my knees deep into the saddle and gave Louie his head. He began to move elegantly into a nice working trot with his neck perfectly curved but, his head raised. I gave him a pat on the side of his neck and said Good Boy! in a calming voice. Being the first time riding Louie, I wanted to make sure to work him through his gaits and do a few jumps. I to was trying to make a choice between my horse Onatello or Louie. Louie isn't actually my horse, I'm leasing him from Frank. He seems to have such nice gaits and a graceful jump.
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Post by Lisa Atwood on Jul 11, 2007 16:18:39 GMT -5
I listened. I knew something was missing when I tacked her up. I moved Dreamer Creamer out of the ring. She dismounted and looked everywhere for her martingale. She found it. She tied her mare to her trailer. She put the martingale on and hoped it would help. Dreamer Creamer was new at the martingale thing. Once I mounted her again she tried to hold her head high. But couldn't. I nudged her forward. She went. I nudged her into trot. She went into the trot like I asked. I asked her for a canter. She cantered for my. Her canter was easy to rock with. I rocked with the gate easily. I was smiling too.
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Post by rachael on Jul 11, 2007 17:57:42 GMT -5
I smiled as I saw her realize that she had forgot to put her martingale on, hoping that it would help. Giving Louie another quiet nudge with my leg, he began to lengthen his stride and into a more forward trot. Seeing that someone had left some ground poles laied out, I turned his head, making sure that my outside leg was pushing him over, and began to post smoothly through the four poles. I gave him a rub on his neck and reassured him with Good Boy. As we gracefully moved around the arena a few more times, sweat began to make it's was down his rich bay neck. Slightly pulling back on my reins, he slowed to a walk. I let his head go, letting him lower his head down. He needs work, I thought as he was alittle bit over-weight. I grabbed my water bottle from the fence and after a few sips of fresh water, was ready to work him in his canter. But before I did I wanted to get to know Lisa, So Lisa, how long have you been riding?
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Post by Lisa Atwood on Jul 11, 2007 18:05:10 GMT -5
" I have been riding for three to four years now. I got my stallion Midnight Dancer last year. Like I said I got this mare today" I said. I slowed Dreamer Creamer down to a walk. She listened this time. The martingale was helping her control the mare. She was pround of that.
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Post by rachael on Jul 11, 2007 19:31:57 GMT -5
I nodded my head as she answered my question, it didn't seem like a lot, and compared to my ten years of riding experience, it really wasn't. I pushed Louie into a nice forward walk. Giving him his head, I pulled the inside rein towards my stomach and the outside rein towards the fence, finally, pushing the heels of my boots into his side making him pick up the correct lead and have a elegant forward canter.
After cantering around the arena a few more times, I pulled back on the reins slowing him down to walk. His nostrils were flaring and sweet was dripping down his neck. He needed a brake. I gave him a pat, and with one powerful motion, I had swung my body over the saddle and landed on the soft sand. I searched for a mint from my pocket and handed it to him. His eyes so gentle and relaxed, I was surprised; Frank made it seem like he was some "wild-child" of a horse. Even though he was only five, he seemed like the perfect horse to bring to Maclay's, but I wasn't sure of it.
After a few minutes, as he caught his breath, I moved the reins over his head and began to lead him over to were I was going to set up a few jumps. I looked towards Lisa, How high have you been jumping?
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Post by Lisa Atwood on Jul 12, 2007 13:24:44 GMT -5
I had Dreamer Creamer pick up a slow canter. She got into the canter easily. " I can jump pretty high but I just haven't been over jumps in a while. Dreamer here has never been trained over them yet" said Lara. Dreamer Creamer bit on her bit wanting more reins. I held the reins a tiny bit looser. Dreamer held her head at her chest. But stayed at the canter.
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Post by rachael on Jul 13, 2007 9:24:30 GMT -5
Okay, well tell me if it's to high. I moved the cup up to the three and a half mark. Louie has an amazing jump from what Frank told me. It took a few more minutes for me to re-size the jumps.
I strolled back over to Louie and gave him a kiss on his forehead, moving his long forelock to the other side of his cute face. I moved the braided reins over his mane and walked over to my saddle. The smell of leather rushing into my nose. Putting my boot in the metal stirrup and taking one powerful swing up- into the saddle. Rubbing him just a bit before pushing him into a forward trot.
Turning him on the inside track, and giving him his head. Aiming right in the middle of the jump that was about eight strides away. Giving him a powerful nudge with my heel he moved smoothly into a canter. 5, 4, 3, 2...I counted as we came closer and closer toward the vertical. Leaning forward and pushing my hands forward to, he left the ground perfectly; curving his neck and limbs just right with just inches to spare.
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Post by Lisa Atwood on Jul 13, 2007 12:44:00 GMT -5
I smiled. It wasn't too high at all. Dreamer Creamer knew what she was going to do. I nudged the mare into a canter. Dreamer Creamer got into a canter perfectly. I counted in my head. Dreamer Creamer came to the jump slowly.
Once at the jump I stood up a bit in my stirrups, leaned forward a bit. I pushed on her neck. Dreamer Creamer rose up. She curved her neck. She gracefully brought her front legs up. Then raised her back legs. Once landed I patted her neck. " Good girl" I said softly. Dreamer Creamer stayed quiet. She was liking the jumping already.
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Post by rachael on Jul 15, 2007 10:52:23 GMT -5
I smiled and gave Louie a nice big pat on his sweaty neck. He really did have a nice jump! My thoughts came twirling in my head, soon I would have to make the decision between Louie and Onatello. I wasn't to keen on making it, I loved them both so much! I knew that Louie has had more experience and that he would be the safer choice. But Onatello is my pride and joy, and how could I just disappoint him?
I loosened my braided reins as Louie chewed on the rubber snaffle. Cooling him down was the most important part of riding. As we walked around the ring a few more times, I knew that Louie had been well worked and that he deserved a rest. Ho. I said sternly, giving a light pull on the reins. Taking my feet out of the two silver stirrups and swinging my body over the saddle and onto the ground once more. It was a long way down from his tall body, a tall 16.3. He was three inches larger than Onatello.
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Post by Rachel Smith on Jul 15, 2007 12:47:14 GMT -5
I lead Sacred Hope and the stallion snorted. I smiled and patted his neck. I mounted the bay stallion and rode him into the arena. I started to warm him up at a walk and as I walked him around the arena I watched the two riders.
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Post by rachael on Jul 17, 2007 15:25:08 GMT -5
I turned my head to see another rider come into the arena. My blue eyes scanned her horse; a good looker. Smiling I moved Louie out of the ring and lifted my leather saddle flap, loosening his girth. Putting the reins back over his braided mane and holding them loosely. Looking at the new one I began to introduce myself, Hi, I'm Chelsea Moss.
I gave Louie a nice big pat on his sweaty neck and gave him a mint from my pocket, taking my new Razor cell phone out with it. I flipped it open and dialed my mother's number. Waiting for her to pick up and with my surprise, she did. Hey mom, you can come and pick us up. I listened to her speak and then said, Thanks. I began to move back over to Louie's side to take off his tack. I started by completely un-doing his girth and flipping it up onto my saddle. I reached for my halter that I had slipped off earlier. Taking his bridle off and switching it with his leather halter. I tied the lead rope to the fence so I could take off my one-of-a-kind saddle. Lifting it off of his back and placing it, and my aqua saddle pad on the ground.
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Post by Rachel Smith on Jul 17, 2007 16:49:16 GMT -5
"I'm Rachel Smith. This is my horse, Sacred Hope." I said smiling at Chelsea
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- Lisa Atwood
