Snickers

Don't ask me how I got roped in to horse riding lessons. I guess the part that they are free is really hard to argue with.

So for the past three Friday's either after or before piano lessons I load up the kiddos and head out to the Graham County Rodeo Arena. Kelly and her boys are there with Snicker's ready to give Kiersten and Hunter riding lessons. Kelly has been riding horses and competing in rodeos since she was 5.......so she is a wonderful teacher.

Snicker's is a great kid horse and a wonderful horse to start lessons on. When the kids are ready for more speed Kelly has other horses she'll put them on. But for now the kids are loving Snickers! It's hard to believe Kiersten will even get back on a horse after having Grammie Cluff's horse get spooked and took off running with Kiersten on the back.........not once but twice! The more times Kiersten is on Snicker's and nothing scary happens the more confident and comfortable she becomes. Who'd have thought Hunter would like cowboy stuff? I want my kids to grow up to be well rounded individuals........so if he wants to try out cowboy stuff it's fine with me. He still is in Hip Hop, takes archery, plays the violin and the piano and is loving every minute in all those activities. So I believe doing and trying many different activities will help Hunter (and all my kids) to be well rounded. Plus I want them to know they can do anything they want to do, as long as they are willing to put forth the effort to do it! Silly Cowboys! Hunter loved flipping down off the fencing in this position. I was just happy we didn't end up with stitches or anything. Looking pretty happy! During this lesson Kiersten learned to run the poles for the first time. Plus this was the first day Kiersten loped with Snicker's. Kelly always makes the kids decide a goal for their lesson and loping was Kiersten's goal for today. Great job Kiersten accomplishing your goal and pushing past your fears! Hunter's goal was to learn a barrel pattern today. Hunter did have a little scare today because he was wearing spurs and he kicked and smooched at Snicker's and she started loping. He was NOT ready for loping nor was he expecting it. He handled it well and learned a good lesson about the difference between kicking with spurs and without them. Wonderful job Hunter not giving up after being scared! This was actually a Saturday because Friday was too busy for us to meet. So Kelly's husband Trenton was there as well. This picture was after the non-intentional loping incident. Trenton was really sweet to Hunter and made him keep riding so he could see that Snicker's won't just take off. What she did was exactly what Hunter unintentionally asked her to do.........to lope. He also had Hunter ride to learn how to get Snicker's to stop..........she is such a great horse and will stop on a dime when you ask it of her. Trenton and Kiersten are riding on Gunner. This is the next horse the kids will be riding when they are ready for more speed. And I guess he has a much smoother ride, but he is more horse and they aren't in need of that yet. I can't thank Kelly enough for the lessons. I did have my dad make her a roping dummy just like the one he made for Hunter. She saw Hunter's and said it was better then any she had seen or that they had. The kids and I surprised her with it. We took it one evening after dark to her house, put it in their front yard, left the thank you cards that the kids and I had written, rang the doorbell and drove away. They opened the door just as we were driving away so the kids yelled out the windows...."We love you Kelly!" Needless to say she was so grateful and that can count for payment til I think of something else to give her since she refuses to take any money. Plus I probably couldn't afford riding lessons for both kids right now any ways.........so we are all thankful for her generosity and kindness.