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Previous Part

The first of the month means horsemanship lessons, and for the group of four 2nd and 3rd grades it meant starting out learning how to brush, lead, and tie a horse in the cross ties.

The four kids in the 2nd -4th Language Arts group for the month of April are Ashlyn (brown hair), Kayla (black hair), Rosie (blonde hair) and Linus. Coming into the program, Kayla had taken english lessons since she was very little, she was close with Rosie even know she was a grade above her because the were both in a 4-H club together. While their horse experience was small, it was still more than Linus and Ashlyn. Linus who had a couple of pony rides was familiar around the large animals while Ashlyn had never seen a horse outside of a picture before.

Language arts lesson done, it seemed about right that they start on the lesson for the day. Taking out Val, the seven month old foal and putting her in the cross rack. Anna armed the youngsters with hard brushes and sent them to work. Kayla and Rosie jumped right in, brushing the young foal. Linus watched them work, studying how they did it and after a minute followed suit. It is better to learn from another near one's age then by an adult because the age gap isn't there. Ashlyn however, she stayed away, unsure of the horse.

"Why don't you brush Val? Once she is brushed we will learn to lead horses and then we will go riding. Isn't that what you want, Ashlyn?" Anna came and put her hand on Ashlyn's shoulder.

"She could hurt me... or I could hurt her." Ashlyn drug her boot across the ground.

"Well, the others are no hurting her. If you brush her softly you won't hurt her. Also, remember all those safety things we talked about before we left the Sunset room? If you follow those you won't get hurt." Ashlyn looked unconvinced, "I will be right here the whole time. I promise you will be okay."

Ashlyn took the few steps towards the foal and let her smell her hand. Instantly there was a smile as Val stepped forward to press against Ashlyn's tummy in an attempt at cuddling. Within a few moments she joined the others in brushing the foal and the four of them quickly made the once dirty filly spotless.

"So now we ride, right!?" Kayla bounced from foot to foot.

"Prove to me that you can lead Miss Val here and we can ride." She unclipped the foal from the cross ties and handed it to Kayla. "One lap around the barn. Each of you. I will walk beside you just in case."

Each was able to walk the one lap and so horse assignments were drawn out. "Kayla, you got Tulsa. Tack up in her stall, she doesn't do cross ties. Rosie, you have Autumn. She is a big girl but a real sweetheart. Linus, we have a gentle mare named Mercury for you, and Ashlyn, you get Sunset. She will take care of you. Kayla, I know you can tack up so tack up and help Linus. I will help Ashlyn. Off you all go. Lets ride!"

By the end of the afternoon, everyone was happily on horseback. Even Ashlyn, who was scared at the start had grown used to the gentle sway of Sunset's rhythm and motion. Next week she hoped that all four could play the same game and work together even though they had differing skill levels.

Next month she would surely try to get a more equal level in rider skill levels.

Next Part

Reference from a picture of me in my younger days at a pony camp
HDF NotYourValentine is the property of Horseandponyshow and can't be stolen or remade
Art (c) of Anna Carlton aka HideawayArtist
Do not redistribute

Description

Previous Part

The first of the month means horsemanship lessons, and for the group of four 2nd and 3rd grades it meant starting out learning how to brush, lead, and tie a horse in the cross ties.

The four kids in the 2nd -4th Language Arts group for the month of April are Ashlyn (brown hair), Kayla (black hair), Rosie (blonde hair) and Linus. Coming into the program, Kayla had taken english lessons since she was very little, she was close with Rosie even know she was a grade above her because the were both in a 4-H club together. While their horse experience was small, it was still more than Linus and Ashlyn. Linus who had a couple of pony rides was familiar around the large animals while Ashlyn had never seen a horse outside of a picture before.

Language arts lesson done, it seemed about right that they start on the lesson for the day. Taking out Val, the seven month old foal and putting her in the cross rack. Anna armed the youngsters with hard brushes and sent them to work. Kayla and Rosie jumped right in, brushing the young foal. Linus watched them work, studying how they did it and after a minute followed suit. It is better to learn from another near one's age then by an adult because the age gap isn't there. Ashlyn however, she stayed away, unsure of the horse.

"Why don't you brush Val? Once she is brushed we will learn to lead horses and then we will go riding. Isn't that what you want, Ashlyn?" Anna came and put her hand on Ashlyn's shoulder.

"She could hurt me... or I could hurt her." Ashlyn drug her boot across the ground.

"Well, the others are no hurting her. If you brush her softly you won't hurt her. Also, remember all those safety things we talked about before we left the Sunset room? If you follow those you won't get hurt." Ashlyn looked unconvinced, "I will be right here the whole time. I promise you will be okay."

Ashlyn took the few steps towards the foal and let her smell her hand. Instantly there was a smile as Val stepped forward to press against Ashlyn's tummy in an attempt at cuddling. Within a few moments she joined the others in brushing the foal and the four of them quickly made the once dirty filly spotless.

"So now we ride, right!?" Kayla bounced from foot to foot.

"Prove to me that you can lead Miss Val here and we can ride." She unclipped the foal from the cross ties and handed it to Kayla. "One lap around the barn. Each of you. I will walk beside you just in case."

Each was able to walk the one lap and so horse assignments were drawn out. "Kayla, you got Tulsa. Tack up in her stall, she doesn't do cross ties. Rosie, you have Autumn. She is a big girl but a real sweetheart. Linus, we have a gentle mare named Mercury for you, and Ashlyn, you get Sunset. She will take care of you. Kayla, I know you can tack up so tack up and help Linus. I will help Ashlyn. Off you all go. Lets ride!"

By the end of the afternoon, everyone was happily on horseback. Even Ashlyn, who was scared at the start had grown used to the gentle sway of Sunset's rhythm and motion. Next week she hoped that all four could play the same game and work together even though they had differing skill levels.

Next month she would surely try to get a more equal level in rider skill levels.

Next Part

Reference from a picture of me in my younger days at a pony camp
HDF NotYourValentine is the property of Horseandponyshow and can't be stolen or remade
Art (c) of Anna Carlton aka HideawayArtist
Do not redistribute