Sage's riding lesson (and a trail ride)

Hi Everyone--long time no post. Sage and I have been much busier out doing things this fall but I haven't really posted about any of it here so I figured it was time for a recap.

We started working with a Natural horsemanship trainer in September and doing weekly sessions of groundwork and riding. The trainer does a lot of stuff based on Parelli but has modified things where it makes sense to her to do so. Sage has responded really well to her methods and I feel like we've made some really good progress.

We also went to a Parelli Play Day about an hour south of us, which included a 5 mile trail ride in the afternoon. It was great getting Sage off the property and the trail ride was beautiful with the fall foliage. Sage was nice and calm for his first trail ride away from home...once I got on. We did spend awhile circling and focusing him at the very beginning of the ride.

He did a good job keeping up with the other horses, although his huffing and puffing at the end of the "going up the mountain" section of the ride showed our lack of hills around our barn. Have to get that boy in better shape! I got off and walked him the last half mile home because we were on the road at that point and he was getting a little bit road ouchy. Guess it's time to get him some boots...

Sadly I forgot my camera at the Parelli Play day so I don't have any pictures to share. But I do have a video from my lesson last week. It's nothing terribly exciting, but Sage is looking more relaxed under saddle and I think my position's improved some and that was nice to see. Feel free to skip to the end where I'm trotting; I left a lot of the walking in because my trainer was saying something important and I wanted to remember. Also, I am trotting without stirrups because I had hurt my ankle and stirrups were painful that day (but I'm better now!).