FRIDAY!!!!

I am very proud of myself so far! I rode Henry and Holly twice each last week! Holly was very good and it was her first time in the larger paddock. Before I rode we walked around the field first so she could get a look at it. She seemed relaxed, and annoyed that I wasn't stopping to let her graze the grass which is up to my knees in places. I have to work on her ground manners.

Once mounted we walked around the field and she was fine. Very relaxed and laid back. It's hard for me not to compare Henry to her. Henry does not have a long graceful stride (unless he running around the paddock like an idiot and showing off how athletic he is, then his trot is gorgeous), but Holly is a different story. Where I feel like I'm sitting in a rock hard Stubben on Henry, I feel like I'm sitting on a soft springy mattress on Holly. I use the same saddle and sheepskin half pad on both. I wouldn't trade Henry for the world, but I can't help feeling guilty that I like riding Holly better. A plus for Henry though, he hold his speed better than Holly does. She is like an accelerating freight train much of the time, but he pretty much holds his jackhammer trot at the same breakneck or Sammy the Snail speed.

The first ride on Holly was great. She actually stayed pretty slow, and I managed not to be too much like a sack of potatoes on her back. I even managed to keep my heels down for the most part and keep my shoulders back. However, I was not pleased that anytime she changed speed or took a slight misstep I took on spud-like qualities and was either careening over backwards, or in danger of kissing her ears! I will have to work on that. Sinking my weight into my heel instead of just pushing my heels down works much better, and will not get me in trouble when I go down to FL!