I started horseback riding lessons again with Claudia Lasater. We had to stop earlier because of my horse allergies. But I take Claritin now and I’m all right.
I started riding Shiloh, the little gray Quarter horse gelding she has, but yesterday she decided to put me up on her big paint, Johnny Rebel, bareback! I hadn’t wanted to ride Johnny because he was bigger than Shiloh (probably about 15 hands high. 1 hand is equal to 4 inches). Shiloh is fourteen hands, Johnny’s around 15.
I’d ridden bareback only once before at a riding camp, and I couldn’t remember it very well. So this was really fun!
I wasn’t truly riding bareback. She had put a pad on his back and cinched it in place, but it felt a lot different. I could move around better and feel the horse beneath me pretty well.
I tried a trot riding bareback, too. Johnny’s trot is really smooth. Shiloh’s was okay, but it was really bumpy. Johnny’s is pretty smooth and slower, and I didn’t have any trouble with it.
Claudia also has another horse named Rio. He’s a ten-year-old bay Morgan named Rio. I’ve ridden him once before, and he was also pretty smooth gaited.
I’m hoping to switch over to Johnny completely now. I’m so glad I get to take riding lessons from Claudia. She’s a great teacher.
