Horseback Riding Lessons

Izzy and Abbi have picked up a new sport-horseback riding, and they love it. Normally we wouldn't be able to afford lessons, but my dear friend, Shay, is teaching them for a killer price. Their first lesson was April 26th and the next one will be this Saturday. (Obviously I have been out of the blogging world since these weren't up until today. I have a new calling in our church that has been a little overwhelming and time consuming. Hopefully I will get a grip on things soon and get back to regular blogging!) Anyway, they rode a grumpy old man named Rio. He is an Appaloosa and he is 26 years old. He kept trying to nip Shay as she led him around the ring. It was actually funny to watch him go from being grumpy to looking like he was enjoying himself.
I will say that Shay is giving them the best experiences. They learned all about the horse's anatomy, the tack, and how to groom, tack, and lead the horse. They even helped pick the dirt out of his hooves. Then they each rode for about 40 minutes. They practiced balancing in the saddle by raising up their arms, touching their toes, leaning back, and leaning forward. Then they helped take the tack off, groom him again, and put him in is stall. It was so fun to watch them gain confidence around these wonderful animals.
Caleb, as you might guess, had a great time too. He befriended Arthur, a 7 year old Hanoverian gelding. Shay was quite surprised at how much the two of them got along. You see, Arthur has a tendency to knock people over with his big head. He isn't mean, just your basic 17 year old teenage boy. Caleb kept going up and petting him and feeding him hay. Arthur watched him like a hawk, always making sure he was okay.
I loved the whole thing. Secretly I am hoping that the girls get really good at this and start jumping so that we can get a horse. I have wanted a horse since I was 4. I asked every Christmas, so I hope that this works out for me, as well as for the kids. If you want to get us a horse early, I would like a Dutch Warmblood that is about 15-16 hands high and is already trained. Not asking for much, but in case you are looking for a great Christmas present for me, there you have it.