Pira's Ranch Picnic

So, last month's "Field Trip" for Blue Fountain Farm was our fabulous wine tasting event next door at Naggiar Vineyards and Winery (see earlier post), and yesterday we all went across the street as guests of Pira's Cows and Horses for another entertaining, and educational day.  Ricky and Anna Nicolazzi were kind enough to host our group of 30+ people for a picnic and tour of the beautiful facilities.......... and Ricky gave an outstanding demonstration (more like a clinic!) of  his winning reining techniques to us mostly dressage-minded individuals on a high money- earning, chestnut gelding that he has in training.

    

Ricky explaining some basics to the group.

Railbirds front side............

........and back side.

Explaining scoring

And getting to work showing us the large circle........

....the spins........

and the stops!

It was great to hear Ricky, who kept talking as he was riding,  supporting so  much of what we have all been learning in dressage - concepts of inside and outside reins, moving the horse's shoulders and haunches, keeping their attention focused on the job at hand, keeping straight lines and straight bodies, softening to the inside........I could go on and on.  Basically, good riding and training crosses the borders of the different disciplines of riding - there might just be a difference in equipment, or soft rein vs loose rein, but it's all quite similar.

After seeing what a finished reiner could do, Ricky brought out a 2 yr old gelding, and showed us how all the techinques we had just viewed came to being.

 

A little lunging to get started.

Now, there were some who thought the arena had other purposes besides riding..........

Aurora wondering, "Isn't this a big sand box???"

.....or that a mini - John Deere was more fun to ride than a horse.......

Christopher Newell, Aurora and "Johnny" zooming away.

......or scheming to steal "Johnny" to their home........

Andie and Paul with their new best friend.

Another highlight of the day (besides the riding, the food and the great company) was touring the Pira's property on my new Bobcat, or the Polaris.  We got to see the ponds....

.....the buffalo (used for cow horse work)....

and got to act like kids on a Safari tour......

It was another stunningly gorgeous day with good food, good friends, lots of horses and a new twist on our horse education - thanks to the Santucci and Nicolazzi families!