So I was finishing up getting loads of sawdust when Megan told me I could join the advanced class in their horsemanship lesson with Maggie. This happened on Wednesday, so I was a little surprised, but it seemed like it would be fun to me.
I feel guilty about it, but I don’t think I remember the names of the two girls that were there. I want to say Rachel and Jenna, but I could be entirely wrong. Blah names.
Anyway, the girl I think is Rachel had Dill on a lounge rope, and the girl I think is Jenna had Ella on a shank, and was walking around like I was.
I walked around, working on my straightness and stopping again. I also managed to begin timing my steps so that I was going at a pace that matched Maggie’s. I could hear her hoof-beats (so glad she’s on my right) which gave me the right timing. I had less problems with her bending away due to my speed (or lack of it) as a result.
After a while, Megan came out to show me how to do a haunch turn. The goal is to rotate the horse on her back right leg, such that it stays in place and the rest of the horse moves around it.
Megan also traced in the dirt the three positions needed for horsemanship. Perpendicular to the horse, parallel to the horse, and diagonal (about 45 degrees between the other two)
Anyway, for a haunch turn I needed to be parallel to Maggie, shoulders squared at her head. The point is to step into her and have her move away from me while keeping her right hind leg in place and keeping her body straight. I also have to keep my eyes on that right hind leg the entire time. (If it goes out of view, then she’s bending which is a nono.)
I had some trouble with this one. Most of the time I failed to follow the ‘circle’ around her and kind of kept going straight such that she had to move forward to follow me. Far fewer times I moved too close to her, forcing her backward. I did manage to get it…for a few (slow) steps two or three occasions, but I still don’t feel how it’s supposed to be. And she’s certainly not staying straight, which probably means I’m not keeping my shoulders square.
Somehow I wonder why this is next in the list of things to learn instead of backing up (which I saw Jenna doing) which seems much easier than haunch turns since it seems like you just have to walk in a straight line. Well time will see if I eat those words when I get to backing up or not.
Oh, I also tried setting up…once…but she got bored with me and I gave up in embarrassment.
