Post by Jacqueline on Mar 19, 2006 18:06:13 GMT -5
Jackie led her Thorughbred gelding, Teddy, down to the arena. She opened the door and led Teddy in, shutting the door behind her. Teddy shied at the sound of the door. "It's fine you goof." Jackie said patting the chestnut. Teddy snorted and Jackie led him out of the path of any horses that might be going along. She tightened his girth and he started to walk and nothing she could do made him stop. She ended up walking along with him as she tightened the girth. Then she made him stand still while she pulled down her stirrups. She led him over to the mounting block. He danced on the spot as she put her foot in the stirrup and he started walking as she swung into the saddle. "Whoa.." She said, pulling him to a halt. She got herself totally organised and asked him to walk. Teddy eagerly walked along not much short of a trot. After a little while of walking, Jackie asked Teddy to trot. They warmed up at the trot and then cantered. He started out at a rushed canter. Jackie pulled him back to a relaxed trot and had to keep her leg on steadilly because with as much pulling back with her hands he was likely to trot unless told to keep going. They cantered along in one direction at an almost comfortable canter and then they came across the ring to change the rein. She tried to pull him back to a trot for a simple change but Teddy had other plans. He wanted to change his own lead. He hunched his back and managed to get his front lead then he bucked for the back one. It wasn't the comfiest thing but Jackie was happy that he was changing his own lead. She gave him a pat and got him to settle into a nice canter using lots of circles and rein. After cantering Jackie decided to jump just one jump. She wanted to jump but knew that Teddy wasn't in the mood for too many jumps. She pulled him to a trot to trot the jump because he would likely break into a canter at the last moment and it wouldn't be an out of control canter. He wasn't paying much attention and stopped when the reached the jump. He squeeled and took off. Jackie pulled back on the reins to get him to stop but he was in a fighty mood and decided to go faster. Jackie looked ahead at what was in his path and saw a horse and rider. Jackie leaned way back and yanked hard on the reins. Teddy skidded to a stop and reached over to sniff the other horse. "Sorry about that." Jackie said, blushing embarassedly.
