First riding lesson today

I know horse riding is a bit off from a farming blog, but hey.  You want to know what a southern california farmer does?  She takes horse riding lessons.  I had my first one today-or at least my first lesson in a while.  I took a few months worth of lessons when I was in college and learned how to not kill myself on a horse.  The rest of what I learned was through reading, reading, reading and a few videos.  I've probably spent thousands of dollars on horse books.  Yes horses, my true passion in life.  I don't think anything really excites me as much as horses do.  Here's a little clip of my baby, Tarik.

Anyhow, the lesson today went great and I am pleasantly sore.  I really didn't expect much from it.  The lessons are only $15 an hour which is amazingly cheap (and the only reason I'm taking them) and they're from a trainer in the high desert, Stacy Nichols.  High desert plus cheap equals probably not good.  However, I really enjoyed them.  The horse was safe and I learned a lot such as what the proper aids are for asking a horse to canter.  And I finally understood some things that my last teacher was always yelling at me about.  Stacy Nichols is very good at breaking things down so that it's easy to understand and she's patient with me wanting to know why.

I don't know if she has other students who insist on knowing why, on knowing what the right way as well as the wrong way of doing something is as well as the consequences of both and why should I hold my hands this way or put my feet that way and what would happen if I did this and on and on and on.  I'm like a two year old, but that's what happens when you're the type of crazy person who would go out and get a doctorate and then farm.  Talk about a nut, but a nut who is soon going to be in shape and an excellent horsewoman.