Cob Jockey

This post makes me SO HAPPY to write!

I have written before that my mom grew up riding in Chicago, and is the reason I love horses at all.

Another photo I can't use often enough: my mom meeting American Pharoah last winter

Somewhere along the way, her horse became her psychiatrist and she lost the nerve to ride.  There's absolutely nothing wrong with that, but I knew she'd be so happy if I could get her back on a horse, and specifically in a controlled environment on a nice quiet horse.

So when she came over for our "all horse weekend," I asked my trainer if she would give my mom a "low speed lunge lesson" as an early birthday present for my mom.  She agreed, and I asked if we should use a really worn out Connor, or our saint of a draft cross, Louie.  She said, "I think Louie is our man here... ;)"  (Connor: not suitable for children or mothers)

And that's how this happened:

Look at that smile!  I don't know who smiled more the whole time, me or her.

My trainer was surprised when I said this, but I actually hadn't seen her ride since since I was maybe 10.  And despite not having ridden in decades, she didn't lose a thing.

She sits better than I do, AND has better shoulders than I do!

They started out off the lunge, by practicing nice quiet halts.  I liked that - my mom was a tiny bit nervous about riding, and they started by learning how to apply the brakes.  Louie's favorite speed is 'stop', so he was only too happy to oblige.

My trainer explaining that her heel was jammed forward and down, and why that was confusing Louie in the halt, and where her leg should be.  Despite this being a "low-speed" one-off lesson, my trainer was just as technical with her as she is with me.

After that, they moved onto the lunge, where they did sitting trot and posting trot - my mom was thrilled that she still remembered how to post.  Not that awkward kind of forced posting either, you could tell she really knew what she was doing.


It was really cool to hear my trainer say the same things to my mom that she says to me: your leg is stiff, keep your torso back, shorten your reins.  And my mom absorbed the lesson atmosphere and information like a sponge, asking questions and making adjustments when my trainer said something different from what my mom was taught as a kid.


Too soon, it was over, but she kept smiling for hours afterward.  I hope it gave her confidence that she totally still has it, (As my trainer said, "You can tell it's all still there, you just had to knock the rust off,") and I hope she can find ways to ride every so often.

Love you, Mom!  Happy early birthday!