My gelding gets 10 but started with a higher loading dose for the first week when he was mid reaction.
You can get them on Amazon for pretty cheap, cetririze is the generic name. I get a bottle of 300 pills for $10.
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Awesome, thank you. Love this group!
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I’m coming to the realization that ASB people are the coolest. I joined @ASBJumper’s recommended group and am already in touch with someone who has Honey’s dad at her barn 
she says he’s such a love bug who wants all the scratches in the world. And he’s over 30!
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I had my ss lesson! It was certainly a cool experience:
-I apparently, despite being told it multiple times, just plain old don’t hold my hands high enough lol. It was hard to get used to, but I did really appreciate it when it came time to canter because sometimes I’m too ready for things to go south and accidentally pull on the reins, which I couldn’t do in this case.
-I don’t use my left thigh nearly enough. Probably the right too, but it was really obvious I had too much space between my thigh/hip and the saddle on my left.
- I couldn’t figure out my posture. I wanted to sit back, but then my elbows/knees/ heels would go. It’s definitely different.
- I really felt my seat bones after. Much more so than usual
I rode a good boy named gatsby, and it was nice to just feel what an ASB should feel like.
Videos of me trying my best (laugh with me not at me please)
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Nice job, and no stones thrown here or laughter!
The first saddle seat lesson I had I felt REALLY weird. I was a hunter so I had the “slow” memo in my body, and no amount of “let’s go forward” in me. And then the canter aids were all backwards and I was completely lost. You look like you’ve got some go-forward, which is great!
Saddle seat saddles don’t let one hide positional flaws or strength issues. I really like that about them, but it does make it very hard — much harder than it looks! People look all snazzy and calm up there, but there’s a lot of strength required when there’s nothing to hold you in 
And you’re right, ASB people are the best! We’re kind of a niche breed, and the horses are so cool that we can’t wait to share them with everyone.
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Nice job! You look great for a first timer. Cut back saddle takes a bit of getting used too.
Did they explain how to raise your hands without leaning forward? Get your elbows by your side, and just bend your elbows to raise your hands. Your upper arm has to just hang relaxed and no tension. Then soft fingers, the reins just float in your hands.
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I saw your post on the FB group. 
You look good in those videos. Hope you keep up the lessons
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I grew up riding ASBs and Morgans at a saddleseat barn, double bridle and all. It was just dumb luck because that was the barn close to my grandparent’s house, and they paid for the lessons as a Christmas gift every year.
It’s been decades since I’ve been in a cutback saddle and I think I would be a floppy mess at this point. You looked much more secure than I imagine I’d look 
I think the double bridle would probably come back to me more easily than the position in the saddle would.
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Thats a pretty fancy lesson horse 
Last person to laugh here, you did very well, if you follow this with more lessons you’ll tighten up and sink more into the saddle in no time. When Honey is ready, she will appreciate your progress x 10 in whatever saddle you use. You will be able to sit chilly, soft and steady with the reins.
The biggest fault, IMO, in most riders today is burying their hands in the withers. Straight line from elbow to bit, not from bit to pommel. Thats going to be in a different place depending on horses conformation. Horses built more uphill in front will take a higher hand but too many riders are knuckles in the withers on anything. Using hands for balance to compensate for a weak and/ or unbalanced seat in any discipline.
One issue with being in a multi discipline, more recreational boarding barn is all you see is that level rider. You don’t know what effective position and skill set looks like let alone be able to adapt it to the needs of each individual horse. You don’t see what “good” looks like and don’t even realize what you do see is not it. Add to that the cesspool of barn gossip, jealously and “ instant experts” its not an ideal place to learn. I bet your nice riders not the most popular boarder.
Think you have pretty much had a weeks worth of “Edison moments”. Keep those lights on. Look forward to seeing your progress while you wait for Honey to recover.
One more thing…you have never been to a horse show until you have been to an ASB show, Arabian shows a close second. They put the show back into horse SHOW. No sitting in silence, no droning announcer mispronouncing names. No, its “How do you like them so far? Let them know”. The louder crowd, the more the horses puff up and glow.
Go see one. Good shopping, adult beverages and drop dead barn aisle set ups with furniture, drapes and sometimes a margarita fountain or champagne buffet. Its an experience.
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You have a lovely, sympathetic seat - just what Honey needs!
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My goodness, thank you! And so true! I felt all of my flaws were majorly on display lol. I’m sore today!
Not bending my elbows is a long term issue I have. It’s just interesting watching the videos because I was SO sure I was bending them and keeping them against my sides and my hands up…lol the videos prove me wrong.
Truly everyone I met last night, on this forum, and on Facebook who is a saddlebred person has been nothing more than welcoming and excited to talk to a new convert in the making. It’s so cool, and such a refreshing change!
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Thank you! I don’t believe she mentioned that, but my elbows are a problem for me always, lol so maybe she was just picking her battles 
Thank you! And hello from Facebook!
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I’m sure you’d be great! It definitely took time to get used to, and I’m feeling it today!
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Thank you! And super solid point about how the conformation will play into where my hands sit. It’s been a funny struggle— months ago I was told I ride with them too high, now I’ve overcorrected to what you’re referring to and carry them too low, and sometimes “bow flex” my hands out. Very silly.
Definitely getting lots of lightbulb moments lately, gonna run with them.
My barn is a hodge podge of different riders/disciplines/ability, but a lot more of us are trying to focus on more balanced riding and are in lessons with a dressage instructor who really is into biomechanics. Right now im just watching lessons, but I hope to have honey and I ride with her when we’re ready.
Speaking of Honey— yesterday proved real interesting. I posted in the Facebook group I was told about and was immediately contacted by a girl who has Honey’s sire at her barn. After posting his picture, so many people came from the woodwork to tell me they love his babies, you can’t go wrong, etc. here he is!
I also heard from Honeys previous owners and got some insight into her life before the woman I bought from. It certainly explains some things.
I also had people with half siblings reach out with their horses— all lovely. Honestly, ASB people rule.
Here’s Honey from last night making me happy just eating. Glad to see she eats now
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And a pic of Honey when she was…3? 4?
I’ll have to check out an ASB show. You had me at margaritas
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Thank you!
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I felt like I was just (at some points) just rambling on about my own mare. She has arthritis now, so we don’t ride, but Holly and I have a friendship that I truly appreciate. 
I guess I should apologize for that because the thread is about you and Honey. 
Her filly, on the other hand, is acting like a teenager. {sigh}. But she’s being worked with and these things will pass.
I need to get a “No Treats” sign for her stall; too many others at my barn are in love with her. One person has already told me flat out that if I want to sell the filly, they want to be first in line! LOL! 
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No need to apologize, what you said was helpful!
Love that picture of her elegant daddy posing…right down to the pointed Hind toe. Worthy of a pretty boy in a perfume ad there.
You got very lucky here regardless of what you do with her. Don’t waste it.
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Hmmm…
@AdultEmmy please feel free to tell me to p$$$ off if this seems too nitpicky, butt… any chance you could ask the barn owners to feed Honey off the ground? 
Look, i know lots of people have elevated hay feeders and horses often do fine cranking their necks up for hours to eat, butt… when you’re already dealing with a horse/breed that has a tendency to hollow/tense up in the back, the last thing you want to do is encourage them to spend hours with their head/neck up to eat.
Horses are built to eat off the ground/graze. Best to mimic that as much as humanly possible… especially for horses that have a tendency to hold tension in their back/drop their back…
I’ll go back to hiding under my rock now. LOL
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