Patience

I don't know about you, but here we have been having some random great weather mixed in with the regular ugly winter. That taste of spring is wonderful but it also drives me nuts with anticipation for what is going to be *best show season evar* !!!

Right now though, just keep trotting. and trotting.

Still awake?

Notice full-on parka riding. This was not one of those random warm weather days and even after a full hour of trot work, still could not feel my hands.

Maybe next lesson will be warmer and possibly some, dare I say, canter work too?

Yes, dressage is still awesome.

Even though this all looks so straight forward (a feckin figure-8 to shoulder in to small circle failure), my brain is on fire with inside rein/outside rein connections, leg position, use inside of calf-not back of calf, even weight in stirrups but don't push down in stirrups, don't let toes point out (they still are!! boo.), look around circle, use core muscles, encourage her to seek the bit...

I am also very happy that baby Shiraz is showing a real passion for jumping--loose in the arena she pops herself over all the things and looks beautiful doing it!

But until Shiraz is trained, I'll be over here trotting.

Back to work

Temperatures are back up out of dangerous ranges into a more reasonable -10 degree-maybe-we-won't-die-if we-just-keep-moving sort of range which means lessons back on bitches!



Frosty morning feed

I was so excited to be back into work, I scheduled two lessons in one week.

The first lesson was a bit wonky. Savvy was spooky and tight, and never really relaxed enough to get quality in anything. Despite this, I still came home flying high as a kite (riding is such a good drug!) and happy overall with her effort after such a long break from serious work.

Second lesson started off just as tight even though I had been careful to prepare Savvy with a bit of relaxation work before getting on. I don't blame her one bit though because I was riding quite tight myself as I was feeling nervous about possible spooking.



The most hair I have ever seen on one single horse.

We both loosened up soon enough though and started to get some damn good work accomplished! This lesson was all about should-in to walk transition, back to trot and repeat. As Savvy started to figure out the plan, she just got better and better. We achieved a trot on her that I had never felt before with moments of actual collection. She could only maintain that particular quality for about five or six steps at a time because the muscle just doesn't exist yet to support it, but hell! It was a fleeting glimpse of what is yet to come.

Fingers crossed the weather holds so I can keep this up. I am so much easier to get along with when I get my riding time!