Happy 6th Birthday Aayla and Sierra's second natural horsemanship lesson

We celebrated at home first with opening presents.

Opening her strawberry shortcake tea set from Sierra

This Castle Logix game has become a fast favourite

I made Aayla a strawberry shortcake outfit for her party and for Halloween.

 And I also made her a set of 7 peg people all together in a strawberry shortcake lunch box for easy transporting.

  They were super simple to make and were a BIG hit with Aayla

Since today is Aaylas birthday she gets to choose the days activities for the most part.
I did have to take Sierra to her second riding class and Aayla choose to stay home with daddy to play her new game, and with her new toys.

At riding after recapping about caring for your horse and preparing the ponies to ride with a nice gift of a brush down to thank the ponies for their gift of riding. Then it's time for the first ride.

Sierra gets a leg up

Listening intently to Laura explain the importance of your body movements to get Prince to listen to her. Explaining how you have to sit up straight with shoulders, hips and heels aligned; with a happy upbeat attitude and smiley faces on both sets of cheeks :) Feel energized so your pony will soak in that energy and want to go...and if that fails a squeeze with your legs, never your heels.

Riding bareback first to feel the horses movements and so Prince can feel hers too. Sierra uses her body to ask Prince to move and continue around the arena.

 Guiding your pony where you want to go by turning your body in that direction and looking ahead where you want to end up.

 Learning too get your pony to stop by releasing your energy, letting out your breath with a firm woahhh!

Dismounting by swinging your leg over and pushing yourself away from your pony.

Time to learn some parts of the horse like withers, forlock, fetlock, chestnut, dock, barrel, pole and muzzle.

Another fun natural horsemanship class :)

Then we hurried home to go out somewhere with Aayla...she however had other ideas. Aayla didn't want to go for a walk, or go to the park, or go anywhere for that matter. She wanted to have a home day. A day to play games and go on the quad! One of Aaylas favourite at home activities. She also wanted to help bake a cake for her birthday but somehow I didn't get any pictures of that!