A.J.'s long overdue riding lessons

Alright, so forgive me for the 4 month absence already.

Kay.  A lot was going on.  A LOT.  Like we sold our house and moved and everything on top of the normal end of the school year insanity.  But I'll get to all of that (probably.)  In the mean time, I just (like two weeks ago) cleared off all the camera cards and then spent a week editing down pictures to figure out what posts I owed, um, myself, I suppose, to get this thing all caught up and so now I am going to be playing catch up for awhile.  (Seriously, A LONG WHILE.  I have 24 "pending" draft posts full of pictures lined up right now, all just waiting for, well, text.  

So here we go.  

#1 

Like 100 years ago (or to be more exact 8 months,) A.J. turned 4 and received a gift certificate from her Grandparents for a Riding Lesson.  Then at Christmas (7 months ago) she got a second one.  

The two pieces of paper traveled on, around, over and through the various piles of paper that lived on my kitchen counter for 3 whole months until spring break came around (4 months ago) and I got around to scheduling these lessons so she could actually take them.

At the time that 3 month lag seemed totally inexcusable, but as it has now taken me 4 months to getting around to posting about them, maybe I should just stop stressing out about timeliness.

Anyway, so she took the first lesson early in the full week of Easter vacation.  Matt took her, and Lucy tagged along.  (Peter and I went down to Liberty Station for some Mommy-Son bonding time to paint pottery and make a candle so that he would not be in the way and spend the entire time begging for his turn too.

Brushing the pony before getting his saddle on

Cleaning his hooves

The girls led her on a trail ride up through the property.  

Lucy, was sad to be left behind.  Very very sad.  (Matt sent me this picture to prove it.)

The second lesson happened later in the week, immediately following A.J's private lesson for dance. Matt had taken the entire week off to spend with us, so we'd all gone to the dance studio together and then we all ended up at the barn together as well.

A.J., all kinds of big and independent quickly left us in her dust.  She walked up the hill to bring down her pony.

Then they walked him down to get him ready to ride.

Sometimes I think she likes giving them treats more that she likes actually being in the saddle.

It always takes them a long time to adjust the stirrups short enough.  Like she's only 4 years old or something.....

Then they were off again.

Lucy and Peter entertained themselves on the barn's Gator pretending to drive....

... and also with the barn's dogs.

Eventually the girls took A.J. on her pony into the ring.  They did a few laps practicing trying to post while the horse went a little faster.

And they also walked over the beginning jump rail (which was laying on the ground) a few times for fun.

Live it up child, because even if we ever some day could afford to let you ride as anything other than an occasional treat, Mommy just really really doesn't think she could be calm enough to let you jump them.  

So that was fun.  Thank you Gramma for the lessons.  A.J. sure does love animals and any chance she has to get around some other than Brutus and Molly, is a wonderful thing.