Riding Lesson

The other evening Big Cowpoke had the very first riding lesson in our new, almost finished arena. I was so excited. Big cowpoke? Not so much. He kept telling me he didn't feel well. But I gave him some Motrin and a sweatshirt and tossed him up on Peanut. They practiced the pole pattern at a walk. They went through it a bunch of times. I have been trying to get Big Cowpoke to ride the poles with two hands, and he just wouldn't. But his teacher got him to do it. I was proud of him for doing it even though he did not feel well. I still think Peanut has to be half Arabian. There is no doubt in my mind. His teacher is riding for a barrel racing association down here. She just started college and is working on riding her four horses. She loves rodeo and barrels. She comes out to my house and gives my Cowpoke a riding lesson for 15 dollars an hour! Can you believe that!! That is amazingly cheap! She lives about four miles away from me, so she isn't too far away. She is really nice and great with the kids too. Big Cowpoke said he likes her better than me! Big Cowpoke also worked on sliding his hands down his reins for the end turns. I love how patient Peanut is with Big Cowpoke. They even managed to trot through the pole pattern once. Big Cowpoke did much better with using two hands for the weaving in and out of the poles.Just look at that two handed action! I know, how many pictures can one person take of one boy and his horse doing the pole pattern? But really, I deleted a lot of them. I just think it's such a sweet thing when a horse and a child get along so well. It makes my heart melt. She makes me melt too. She watched the lesson and watched some more. Then if you ask her if she wants to ride, she gets all excited. "Who me?" "Heck yeah I want to ride!!" She gets so excited about riding. But she didn't get a chance to ride. Sorry Cowpokette. Next they worked on the barrels. This is where Big Cowpoke went the wrong way around the first barrel at the rodeoThis time he got it right. I think Peanut is really good at barrels because of all the really slow walking my Cowpokes do with him around the pattern. I think they might trot the pattern once or twice a week. Other than that Mr. Cowboy or I will get on and just exercise Peanut.
The second barrel was looking great!
And the third barrel was fantastic. I really hope that Peanut will be super great, not that he already isn't wonderful, for Cowpokette when she gets a bit older. They tried it a bit faster and I only got one picture. I was really impressed with Big Cowpoke's skills. The riding instructor also rode Ozzie. Ozzie was an angel. I don't know why I get so dang nervous to ride him. But I do. I was thinking of maybe having Mr. Cowboy ride him this afternoon and then I might get on him for some walking and trotting around. I really want to!! I am also going to set up an obstacle coarse in the arena for my Cowpokes to ride through. Just something different for them to do besides drilling them on the rodeo patterns. I am going to have a gate to open, some poles to walk over, barrels to circle, cones to weave through, and if Peanut likes tarps, a tarp to walk over. Ozzie loves to walk over the tarp, se we will see how Peanut likes it. I will take pictures of my obstacle coarse!! And a big Thank You to everyone's birthday wishes!! I really had a great birthday, thanks!!