Horses are tricksy

At my most recent riding lesson, Tonka showed how tricky he could be... I haven't learned cantering yet and the gait makes me feel like I'm about to fall off. Tonka figured this out, so we'd start trotting, he'd veer away from the rail, I'd correct him to bring him back to the rail, and he'd start cantering... knowing that the next thing I'd do is stop him... and he'd get to stand still for a while, lol. Just what he wanted.

Well, we over-developed apes are even tricksier, lol. We have language. I talked it over with Camille (instructor) and she explained how to bring Tonka back to a trot without stopping him completely. It was still pretty scary, but it worked... just a little rein pressure (while correcting his position with my leg and shortening the rein and remembering to keep back straight and heels down... it's amazing how many things you have to do simultaneously on horseback - much worse than driving standard transmission... similar in complexity to landing an airplane.)

Camille posted some lesson pics of my wife Rebekah and me as well as our riding classmate and friend Phillip and instructors Camille, Kate, and Tara here.