More Firsts! Canter, Trail Ride, Jump
I realize now how amiss I am that I’m letting my story be turned in so long after the event, but I’ve been trying to take every minute of time I have here to enjoy it before I head home. . . Miss Sydney is coaching Alex on what to write . . . "Tell them about cantering for the first time . . ."
Howdy Finally!
So Aly boy and I have two big accomplishments to report! First of all, the first canter day before yesterday; and yes, I realize now how amiss I am that I’m letting my story be turned in so long after the event, but I’ve been trying to take every minute of time I have here to enjoy it before I head home.
Cantering Tucks St. Aly for the first time.
I didn’t expect that we would canter so soon, but I was really excited, and I know I was extremely tensed up and I could tell Aly was being a bit pushy for one of the first times since I’ve seen him, when we were trotting on the longe line, waiting for me to be ready. It was so incredible for me to see how after we got into that first canter, how he calmed down, back to the business-like, happy boy that he is. He KNEW that we were ready to step up to the next level, and he didn’t want any backing out on my part!
Even Tucks St. Aly was grinning!
The first way that we went on the longe line, to the left, was pretty rough, but when we turned around and I had kind of recovered from the shock of his enormousssssss canter, and we were a bit more of a team, it was quite a great first experience. Then yesterday, when we cantered, Aly and I had trotted a lot more that day than the days before, and I have to say I was pretty whiped out, but after we tried that canter, I was seriously exhilarated! It is such a feeling, makes me feel like my soul is right up inside my chest, just soaring. And even though it is such a huge stride, once I sat my seat down into the deep part of that saddle and just drove him on. Nothing has felt better. Except maybe our excursion today with Missy!
Stevie Loverboy and Tucks St. Aly head to the woods with Missy Miller and Alex Kemper.
I wanted to go out in the woods so much before I left, another great reason for my having stayed; but I wasn’t totally sure if we were ready. However Loverboy was a seasoned veteran, as Aly obviously was, and they took great care of me. As I told you guys, that seriously is the best back treatment I’ve ever had ! The rhythm that the horses get going up and down hills is much different, because of the momentum they have to get I guess, and that constant deep, circular movement, just totally relaxed my back, not to mention the pretty woods and bird chirping, and of course having Aly be nice and gentlemanly was a superb plus too! – wont be a thing I’ll soon forget. To top off our happening, as Aly was getting a little antsy, wanting to lead at the end, he trotted and did a slight jump over the creek! It surprised the dickens out of me, so we didn’t really tell anyone, but officially we have gone over our first, slight, but hey, it was an obstacle! I was very proud of how good he was, because I know I was a bit hesitant, so he was in the protective, sweet mood to be so good. We’ll have to come back sometime when we’re getting to be seasoned jumpers and enjoy ourselves x-country style with all you guys sometime.
Hugs to all the dear people, and pets to all our cherished creatures,
Aly & Alex