I Rode Two Days in a Row!

It was very cold again last night, down to 25F.  When Brett got home from work after midnight, he scurried under the duvet and wrapped his icy hands around me.  I'm cold he whined.  We don't heat the back of the house so it was very cold in our bedroom.  The sun rose over cloudless skies this morning.  After chores and breakfast we rode.  It was warming up, but still cold enough that the puddles of ice never melted all day.

I tacked up Winston.  The clipping job I did worked out great.  Winston was forward and obedient.  We worked on getting him to stretch down and forward to the bit.  Did I tell you I signed us up for his first rated show?  Yup.  In January.  So while we were warming up on a loose rein, I had Winston walk the pattern.  I think I have it memorized.  The test includes a stretchy trot circle so I'm trying to teach Winston to reach down and forward, relaxing across his back and releasing.  I did a few circles at the beginning of our work and then again at the end.  He is starting to understand what I want and that it feels good.  My intent is to do a lot of the circles, using them as a release and a reward.  We also did quite a bit of canter work.  Winston wasn't sweating (yes!) so we were able to work a lot harder.  His transitions were smoother and he is bending more consistently.  All-in-all, I was very pleased with our work.

Brett rode Mufasa at the same time.  Brett is getting more comfortable with Mufasa's large gaits.  Posting is much different on Mufasa.  When you post on Flash, your butt barely rises from the saddle and its a soft motion.  Mufasa has big strides so you have to post big too.  Brett said that today he "got" the rhythm down and Mufasa seemed to be more balanced and secure.  We have had to reschedule lessons with Gayle twice due to the rain so Brett hasn't had a lesson on his new horse yet.  If the stars align, she will be up next weekend.  Brett is anxious to take a lesson.  Mufasa is a nice horse and Brett doesn't want to "mess him up."  He won't, but I understand the feeling.

We turned the horses back out, gave them lunch, and headed down the mountain to do the rest of the grocery shopping for the holidays.  Jackson had cleaned up his hay during the night and there were normal piles of manure everywhere this morning.  He ate his breakfast and his lunch with the regular amount of enthusiasm.

Winston, Tuffy, Finessa and Mufasa

Jackson in the run-in shed, Flash

We hopped in the car and headed to the store.  As we reached the bottom of the mountain, I realized that I had forgotten my shopping list -- which was too extensive to remember.  So back home we went, got the list, and then drove back down.  I bought Brett lunch at Las Palmas as a peace offering.  We got back home just in time to do the evening chores.  I made some clam chowder for dinner and we're chilling by the fire now. 

More rain is due to arrive tomorrow, but today was perfect.