All sorts of great things....

[piftisha]

I was just so excited I had to share -

2 weeks ago I had a great lesson, on a pretty advanced horse, Oregon. Finally I got what my RI was saying by "close your leg" when I canter, and I was actually cantering really well and glued in the saddle. BUT I had to take a week off to go up to Northern California to visit family for the winter break.

So I got back last night, after recieving brand spanking new stirrup leathers and irons for Hanukah (I took everyone's advice and just asked for my own leathers and stirrups to use on the school's saddles!) and had a lesson this morning.

Had Oregon again, and with the new leathers and irons that actually fit my little feet instead of being almost 2 inches too wide, I felt really really secure. Our canter was great, and my RI was really impressed!

The canter is finally coming along and actually becoming controlled!!

I was just too excited and had to share. I definately reccomend getting your own leathers and irons if your school will let you (probably will have to be the safety stirrups, I know my school reqires them!)

 

[Lovemyappy]

Congrats and keep up the good work. Sounds like things should move along really well now that your able to keep a good canter and a good seat

 

[kedwards]

Well done!

Now that you have your own leathers, it will be nice not to have to fiddle with finding just the right adjustment on your leathers all the time too.

 

[kirstie]

Oh well done I'm glad everything going smoothly carry on with the good work

 

[Ross]

This is another safety thing - stirrup irons shouldn't be too huge for your feet, as it increases the risk of your foot getting jammed in them if you fall off. I was always told they should be 1/2" bigger than the width of your foot. Also, when you put them on the saddle, make sure that the safety flap bit at the back of the stirrup bar is down - you want the stirrup to come off if you do, so that you don't get dragged.

Sadly, my sister did get dragged during a fall - the pony stepped on her lower leg and broke it in a spiral round the two bones, leaving her (after a lot fo pain) with one leg shorter than the other. This has made me slightly paranoid on the subject - falling off is one thing, being dragged quite another!

Ross