Piper and Spirit.....

Two names that August and Alyssa will never forget! These were the two horses selected for August and Alyssa for their first ever horseback riding lesson.  They had SO much fun!
We were set for a 4:30 appointment, and arrived slightly early, which was nice as we were able to observe the lesson going on before ours.  We pulled up to a large covered arena and barn.  A lady told us to head through the barn, which was a treat.  The barn had rabbits, guinea pigs, baby birds in a nest up in the rafters, and of course, HORSES. Nearly every stall was filled, and the horses were checking us out as we passed through.  The kids were in awe! When the prior session had ended, the horses were brought into the barn and the kids were suited up with helmets and boots, then instructed to begin brushing their horses.  It was just August and Alyssa in the session, and each of them had a more experienced rider along side them the whole time, along with one of the owners of the school in the center of the ring instructing them.
Alyssa got to help put the bridle on her horse, and August got to take the reins and lead his horse, Piper, out to the arena. The kids were helped onto the horses, and told to take the reins.  The owner saw Alyssa grab onto the lump part of the saddle that kids hold onto during pony rides at fairs (you know the thing I'm talking about!), and she asked Alyssa to let go and take the reins, and promise her she wouldn't hold onto that any more.  Alyssa was delighted to have control of her horse, Spirit.  I don't think carnival pony rides will ever be the same again for either August nor Alyssa now that they have had a taste of what real horseback riding is like!
After several minutes, the owner decided they were ready to try trotting. This was Alyssa's favorite part. She thought the faster her horse went, the better! True to the mare's name, she had a more "spirited" horse than August did, but I think they each had the perfect horse for their first time out.  August's horse was very mellow and a bit lazy, and didn't really want to trot.  He was instructed to kick his horse "real hard". He wasn't sure about that.  I think he was afraid of hurting her, but he learned that in order to get the horse to feel him and his commands, he had to be firm. The instuctor had the kids make circles around each other with their horse, then catch up to the other via trotting.  This portion of the lesson lasted about 40 minutes.
The lesson was concluded by the horses being led back to the barn, where the kids brushed them once more.

 This whole experience was complete awesome-ness for the kids! I loved seeing them enjoying themselves so much. Needless to say, they both want to see "their horses" again (maybe), and asked if we could buy a horse (no). They have talked about this experience all day today, and when August went with his friend, Aiden, to go paint pottery today, I'll bet you can never guess what type of figurine he selected to paint!?

That's right. A horse. I haven't seen in yet, but according to his friend's mother, he painted it black with a white stripe down it's back, "Just like Piper!"