Mystic

Today, I got to ride Mystic. She's a 14.1 hh haflinger. This means she's technically a pony, but she's "stocky".

Today Julie walked me through a beginner dressage test. Test A here. The hardest part was getting on the centerline to end (I kept overshooting). And halting with Mystic straight.

I also learned to turn on the forehand. This involves getting the horse to pivot her hindquarters with the front legs as the pivot point. It's easier to avoid moving forward when there's something in front of you, like the picture below.

Mystic's favorite part was the free walk. She certainly enjoyed stretching her neck out. In fact, I think she knows what the words mean, as she'd pull on the reins and snort as soon as Julie said it.

Thursday evening next week as Julie is busy over the weekend. Not sure who I'll be riding.