friday foto finish: tack + trees

Happy Friday, folks! It’s been a nice quiet week around these parts, but per usual I still managed to take an inordinate amount of pictures….

why yes, we do occasionally hack about in fly boots lol, why do you ask?

I’ll start with the “trees” half bc honestly, what is there really to say about another jaunt out thru the hayfields and woods surrounding our home barn? We’ve got a good “normal” circuit routine at this point, and try to get out as close to weekly as possible. Tho, realistically, it’s usually more like 2-3x a month.

you can almost see the start of changing seasons

We go with friends whenever possible, but often we’re solo. Which is nice in its own way. Doozy is a lot like Isabel was to hack: she is **marching, ma’am!** — and any attempts at slowing her roll are met with anything from mild annoyance to straight up indignation lol.

dropping down the valley to enter the low side of the woods

So ya know. Sometimes it’s nice to just hit the hills at our own speed lol.

hints of yellow already in the brush!

There’s been a log down by the creek bed for a couple weeks now, but actually we’ve been enjoying the “new” trail that’s cut into the high side of the woods. It’s still got a decent grade, but no straight up-or-down paths, plus the footing is loamy soil vs creekside rocks.

suspicious cabbage finally dying off for the season, much to doozy’s immense relief!

Anyway. After a couple days off post horse trial, we got going again with a relaxing evening hack, and then straight back to the salt mines while testing fun new consignment tack!

a strange purple-y pelt coming up thru the hay fields gives greater contour to the hillsides

Long story short, I finalized purchase of the Veritas Eximo. I like it and Doozy has gone well in it (especially compared to our various disastrous attempts at prior dressage saddle trials). I’ve wanted to get us into black tack for a while now, so. Here we go!

anyway. tack. imo this bridle looks more or less ok from the left side

Next stop was naturally to Maryland Saddlery to browse for appropriate accessories and accoutrements to complete the kit. Namely: Bridle, reins, bit, and saddle pad. And…. idk. I was happy walking out of the store, but am less sure now.

buckles and straps ‘n shit seem jankier from the right tho?

The bit is a very similar Myler to what we’ve been going in, tho it’s slightly longer (which I like) and actually has a very very small port (to which I’m more or less indifferent). The length factor, tho, really kinda puts me in a bind with bridle sizing. Doozy is technically a full / horse size — but could probably do better with cob cheek pieces. 

i like the sorta luxe flat black look of this noseband tho

I also don’t really like the crown piece on this bridle. For some reason, Doozy has kinda a weirdly large poll and I’ve ultimately preferred almost aggressively anatomic cutout / flexible crowns for her. Oh and the straight browband kinda bugs me too.

somewhat amazingly the consignment shop had almost the same spec myler we’ve been going in!

So idk. I like the simplicity of this bridle, and the leather is lovely… But it’s probably getting returned to the shop. Let me know in the comments if you think that’s a mistake tho!

oooh and a super nice pair of squishy soft Thinline reins that are a tad short but good ‘nuff!

I’ll probably keep the reins I picked up, tho. They’re technically the wrong length but that’s also probably why they were such a good price. They’re in great shape and feel lovely in the hand, so that’s good enough for me.

vote in the comments: is this color “ugly” or “elegant”????
(pls to ignore the brown stirrup leathers, thx!)
((am i the only one seeing uteri??))

The last bit of kit I picked up in this particular shopping trip was a schooling dressage pad. And I dunno guys… I like the fluffy quilting, and I think I like the color? Less sold on the gold trim, tho, ngl — esp paired with the white boots. Basically my goal is to be more or less understated.

she puts up with so much <3 <3

What do you think — should it all go back to the shop? Or would you keep some of it? 

And let’s not forget, I still need to think about leathers, irons, and maybe a different girth so those billets stop popping loose….

quiet on the set, please!

Happy New Year, y'all! Hope it's been a good one so far. The last few years have been so unpredictable, so much has changed... It's hard to even really know what to expect or even what I want to happen in 2025. 

sweet mare walkin up to the ring

I've got a few ideas bumping around in my head tho -- not really necessarily specifically "goals" or "intentions" for the year, or whatever... but maybe not that far off either. So maybe more to come on that later. For today, tho, more shopping!

finally pulled the trigger on testing out a Sprenger nathe

You might recall we marked Doozy's one year anniversary with an updated post on her day to day management,** including her current tack / equipment setup. In particular, I wasn't super satisfied with our bitting situation, and y'all encouraged me to try other styles of mouth and/or cheek piece bits. So I finally did it -- and acquired this lovely and simple Sprenger nathe!

(**Assuming I ever do get around to writing a post about setting goals / intentions / whatever for the coming year, one key evolution in my brain right now revolves around being better about self assessments versus self judgements. In that linked post, I wrote "I've never had good hands," which is squarely a judgement on myself, right? Perhaps a better way to think about it is, "Doozy has difficulty settling into contact when my hands are busy." This is more of an assessment of a situation or action, and therefore more actionable... or something LOL)

not to confuse you -- these two pics are from an earlier ride, from the last dressage saddle test ride

I've actually had the bit for a little while already, but with all the saddle trials and lessons and whatnot, it never seemed like quite the right time to make a big change like that. 

I suspected that Doozy would like it, but... Well, to be perfectly honest, I also suspected it was entirely possible that I'd have zero brakes dear lord jesus take the wheel. Ahem. So I didn't wanna introduce the change at a time when she was maybe already a little tense or frazzled like she'd been during the saddle test rides. 

the footage was not great bc a) it was not a great ride, and also b) that giant over-exposed sunspot front and center made it hard to see any details farther away

After our lovely relaxed ride earlier in the week, tho, the time seemed right. And it was! 

Well. Ok, actually it was kinda a difficult set of circumstances. The wind was absolutely howling all day. Not particularly cold, but constant and noisy. The indoor ring was occupied by a large group when we arrived, at which time they all exited almost immediately. Doozy is used to horses coming and going since we often time our rides to coincide with the changes of lesson groups... But it was still a lot.

she's still a cutie tho!

I had the trusty metronome going, tho, and just tried to stay laser focused on being stable and strong and quiet in my position. And if it felt like the wheels were coming off and I needed to abandon my position to do crazy things with my hands... Just shorten the reins and reset my position and focus on that steady tick-tock-tick-tock. 

the tack evolution continues

I'm not going to say that the contact was like... perfectly fixed or whatever... But Doozy had way more moments of finding it and staying on it, vs bouncing and chattering around at the end of the reins. Especially at canter, she seemed really at home.

It's a very quiet riding bit -- there really is not a lot of movement in the mouth piece, even tho it's still got the loose ring cheeks. It didn't feel like Doozy was running through it at all either, too. 

powdered up like a bebe's butt before getting blanketed to the gills for the impending polar vortex

I've never really had a horse who seemed to care one way or another about the finer points of bitting. Isabel was always lovely in her Sprenger KK, and with Charlie it was always about whether I'd be able to stop him or get him up off from leaning on the bit. 

Doozy is... obviously an entirely different animal haha, that's for sure. But I'm happy when she's happy, and guys.... she might just be happy with this nathe, omg! Obvi more testing is needed, and we'll wear it in our next lesson to get Trainer C's thoughts... but I'm optimistic!  

In any case, we'll see what happens. It's about to get pretty chilly around these parts so who knows how much riding will actually get done. And ya know. Limbo week is over, it's time to get back to real life and regular working hours LOL. C'est la vie, amirite.

fun times @ Fair Hill

You may have heard that the Maryland 5*, one of only two such rated competitions in North America (and the penultimate international 5* of the year) was this weekend at Fair Hill!

early morning view from the YEH volunteer's tent

Obvi being locals, my friends and I always like to make a big to do of the event. My typical habit is to spend the leading Thursday and Friday volunteering as jump crew for the associated event, the Young Event Horse Championships. 

Anna Jones making easy work of the **triple bar** set as Jump 1 for the 4 and 5 year olds

The event holds classes for qualified 4 and 5 year old horses, with conformation, dressage, and jumping phases. The horses are judged on their potential as future upper level superstars and most entries are piloted by professional riders (tho not all!). 

omgosh look at this Doozy Doppleganger in the 5yo class <3 <3
her name is Nausicaa, owned and ridden by Daphne Soares (jc Look Up to Heaven)

The jumping phase is my favorite -- it's set up a bit like a derby, starting with a mini show jumping course, then transitioning to a short xc course with limited technicality. The 4yos compete over novice (0.9m) sized fences and the 5yos over training (1.0m) level. 

Each entry gets 3 minutes of ring familiarization (including being allowed to walk up to all the fences and through the water etc) and then complete the course -- with each individual jumping effort receiving a score, plus overall scores on rideability, gallop, way of going, and potential.  

pictured: #goals for Doozy LOL

For my purposes, I just like watching the class! It's really cool seeing the Big Name Riders out there with their greenies and then watching those same horses develop over the coming years. One of the most impressive this go-round was Blacklist, ridden by Allie Knowles. They didn't win, but he's one to watch out for in the future!

If you're curious about the format, here's a video of Caroline Pamukcu & HSH Afterglow winning the 4yo class last year. This same pair finished 3rd in the 5yos this year too!

onto the main event --- XC day tailgating tent, all set up and ready for the party to arrive!

Anyway, the other benefit of volunteering in the lead up days is that I get a free general admission pass for the rest of the weekend, including the feature event -- Cross Country Day! This is the third year my friends and I have hosted a tailgate and it's just so much fun. 

We've got our system down, we like our location (Timber field for the curious), and it's a great opportunity to meet up with all our horsey friends that we don't regularly see otherwise!

friends from Charlie's barn joined the party too <3

This year was particularly special bc obvi a lot of my horse friend group scattered into the four winds this past summer, with the mass exodus transitions from the last boarding barn. Obvi we all try to keep in touch and talk regularly, but this was a really fun reunion party! PLUS -- changes in everyone's boarding situations meant there are a lot of NEW faces in the friends group!!

legit the only video i took from XC day, this is the 5* course

Having the tailgate location is particularly useful at a venue like the Maryland 5* too, bc it's VERY spread out. Like the distance from the main arena to Sawmill Field is very very far. It's nice to have a meetup space replete with food and water for the weary! 

We typically hang out and mingle during the 3* competition, with folks wandering around to nearby jump complexes and the shopping zone... But once the 5* starts, we're on the move! There weren't many entries in the 5* this year, and even fewer finishers... But we saw a lot of great action -- including Tamie Smith and Mai Baum making tidy work of the tricky angled tables in Hay Field before opting to call it a day after climbing the big hill into Sawmill.

Sally Cousins & Wizard in the 3*

Finally, tho, after all the xc is finished, we usually gravitate back to the tailgate for a little rest / snacking / drinking before packing it up for the day. Bc there's still more to do! Final day of the weekend is yet another whole new flavor -- show jumping day!!

Sharon White & Jaguars Duende WINNING the 3*

The nice thing about the last day of the event is that all the action is much more centralized, for anybody who may have been a bit weary (or blistered and/or sunburnt) from a lot of walking on Saturday. 

Show jumping obviously happens in the main arena, surrounded by grandstands (pro tip: definitely splurge for the covered ringside stands bc you never know what the weather will be!). And all the shopping encircles the whole area. We like to arrive early to shop, then catch the 3* show jumping in full, then shop* some more, and then obvi watch the 5* jump. 

(*I was super boring this year for shopping, tho, and only just got a pair of Kerrits paddock boots to replace my falling-apart Blundstones).

Buck Davidson & Sorocaima, the highest place US pair in the 5*

Again, being local means a lot of the riders are familiar to us -- like Sally in the 3*!! -- so it's really fun cheering everybody on. Plus, lots of cheering for the top placed American in the 5* -- another local, Buck Davidson!! 

Obvi it would have been even cooler to see the title go to an American, but overall it was an awesome event from start to finish! Every year gets better and better as the organizers fine tune and tweak the set up and arrangements, esp including logistics like shuttles and parking etc. It's still a relatively "new" event (it's organized by a different group from Fair Hill's former Fall International 4* and 3* events), so still working out some kinks, but overall a really fun time. 

We'll definitely be back at it again next year ;) Have you been? Or are you planning to go? 

friday foto finish

Happy Friday, y'all!! It's been kinda interesting around these parts lately, but in like.... a really familiar and comfortable way that almost feels like.... settling in. 

barn mate snapped this epic misty morning shot!

It has probably been YEARS since I've ridden 5-6 days a week so consistently. But Doozy seems to absolutely flourish in this routine. And for reasons beyond my comprehension, it's been easier to stick to the schedule at the new place.

finally, new tall boots! Mondoni Whitehaven, ordered from Divoza

The daily riding, plus re-introducing my favorite riding apps (a metronome + interval timer that dings every 2min), have helped us rapidly develop a standard "package" for our sessions. 

Instead of just trying to keep a lid on things while existing through all three gaits in a more or less balanced posture.... Well, we're actually working on refining stuff now! Practicing transitions! Trotting figures for literal minutes on end. Cantering only when asked. **Half halting omg**

finally, a decent zipper too haha

And like. Don't get me wrong. Doozy still comes out a little wild sometimes. Esp on Ride 1 after a day off. But it feels like we've got mutually agreed upon parameters -- more of a shared vocabulary. 

ok ok so they're kinda knockoffs of the mountain horse boots... just ya know. $200 less lol, nbd

For months, the overwhelming feeling of riding this horse was just that.... everything felt so hard. And I do mean everything. But suddenly.... Idk, we're starting to see some light at the end of the tunnel LOL!

spectating lauren nicholson casually hopping around the P course at Hunt Club
good lord, tho, that grass looks thirsty!

Which, obvi, is a very welcome and reassuring feeling. Esp considering, we still aren't exactly doing anything truly ground breaking at the moment. But I honestly just get such a strong sense from the mare that, once she understands the game, once she knows the rules etc... all the rest will come fairly easily to her. So we keep plugging away!

doozy hackin about with her new friends <3

And almost without me quite realizing it, we hit kinda a big milestone this past week. For the first time probably since 2015 or 2016, I actually had three lessons omg in the span of about a week, give or take!!

our grass is getting a little desperate for rain, not gonna lie

I wrote about our clinic ride with Dom Schramm last week, and then this Sunday we made it over to dressage trainer C!! We've actually seen her a few times in recent memory, but I haven't written about it bc... ya know. It's still just the basics and without any videos or photos, ehh... It's all been said already haha, now we're just out doin it.

ooooh --- dooz out in the wild for a dressage lesson!

Still, tho, it's worth it for my obsessive documentarian self to at least capture that the lessons are happening. And this was a good one in that, there really aren't any big notes or takeaways other than "keep going!" 

legit such a pro at the trailer these days

Doozy was able to strut around showing off her new and metronome-improved trot rhythm, while politely acquiescing to small adjustments in bend and posture. Then the wheels fell off a little bit in canter --- but in that perfect "this is the work" kind of way where nobody (including the horse) got flustered or undone.

drive-by charles!!! whose grass has somehow managed to get more rain??

We just worked through it, and focused on helping Doozy find her balance. Trainer C wanted me to ride a little more off my thighs in canter -- which at first kinda worried Doozy, she didn't quite know what to do with that. But so long as I could stay soft (vs. rigid), it ended up helping. 

he's already cultivating new minions <3 <3 <3

Overall, Trainer C wants to see me get more weight into my lower legs and heel ("Feel as tho you could stand up at any moment"), and maybe move my seat far enough to the left that I feel off center --- since I actually trend toward sitting too far on the right side. This jives well with Dom's observation that I tip too much off the right side too. Not news, but still needs work!

meanwhile. what is it with cats wanting to stand on top of our feet lol

So that posture work continues to be my main focus in our solo rides, even as we keep up with all the same gymnastic and footwork practice. Tho -- big news! Our most recent practice session was actually in eager anticipation of the last of the 3 recent lessons --- the return of trainer Kelly!

oh hey look, it's **another** picture of poles on the floor!! WOW!

I rode with her somewhat consistently throughout 2022, before Charlie's hoof injury. She has an impressive resume in both upper level eventing and grand prix show jumping, all with the same horse who remains (I believe to this day) hale hearty and sound. My hope with her had been to get good coaching that was also empathetic to my protectiveness around Charlie, and she definitely fit the bill.

 

ha i tried a new arrangement too. turns out we aren't quite ready for straight lines tho

So ya know. Everything is different now... But the new place lets us bring in outside trainers, and she bases nearby! Perfect!! It's too early to get my hopes up, bc the logistics of "regular lessons" always prove more complicated than anybody expects... Plus ya know. Humans are humans and sustainable coaching relationships require good cultivation (on both sides). 

we love the big X's tho!

But Kelly's first session with us felt promising. We spent a lot of time catching up, and talking about what Doozy's done so far, etc, and then she basically observed while I put the mare through a typical flatwork session. I'd set up our standard exercises the night before as a practice run, since Doozy does so well with repetition, and everything was still in place the next day so we kinda just repeated all of it for Kelly.

and getting to be nonchalant about all the fill too

And guys, Doozy was on her A-Game for sure. Like, was lovely on the flat, still obvi green, but very game and pleasant in her pacing. And she was perfect to our little jumps!! 

Kelly made a few adjustments to my standard setup -- she encouraged me to set my takeoff pole at 7' instead of 9' if I'm planning to trot it, just to help Doozy not have to make a big move at the last minute if she does actually trot all the way in. To make this set up realistic for me when I'm on my own, she suggested using one of the jumps more toward the middle of the ring so that I could approach the jump from both the right and the left while always jumping it the same direction -- so the takeoff can be 7' and the landing can be 9'.

I will definitely adopt this method, tho also think the 9' takeoff was what we needed to first introduce this gymnastic, given how frantic and launch-y Doozy was post-Jenny Camp. The extra space gave us a little more room for forgiveness when she predictably rushed. She's over that, now, tho. So we can refine!

good girl, dooz <3 maybe one day i'll get video of our rides again!

It was a great session tho bc we got to the point where I'd usually call it -- after a couple nice reproducible efforts -- and Kelly said, yea ok but let's do a little more. And while Doozy remained lovely and game, she did make a couple little mistakes, which obvi meant that we had to keep repeating the exercise. 

But it was just like with the canter in our last dressage lesson with Trainer C. It wasn't a big deal. Nobody got flustered, including the horse. It was just one of those, "gotta work through it" educational moments. Doozy just had to figure out how to be patient to this shorter distance takeoff pole in order to have a comfortable clean pass over the vertical. That's.... literally the lesson lol. And she figured it out, good girl!

days are getting shorter tho!!

Also was a good reminder to me that, this is legit what the lessons are for. Having that ground person guide me (and reset the jumps when we clobber them lol) and push me for that extra effort needed for the breakthroughs. 

Here's hoping we can keep it up lol. Happy weekend, y'all!

big small differences

We've been laying low in the heat, keepin everybody as cool as reasonably possible... But mostly just taking it easy. Which is kinda nice, not gonna lie!

brace yourself for unrelated gratuitous charlie photos <3 <3 <3

I don't really have any "big plans" for Doozy at the moment, let alone anything requiring any significant preparation or 'stepping stones' along the way. 

Which is probably a good thing, bc we've slowed down considerably since moving to the new farm. I remain extremely pleased with how well the mare coped with the move... But she's still Doozy lol... She still challenges me basically every time I swing a leg over.

charles, in his indoor wash stall with warm and cold water!

She's grown up so much in subtle, easy-to-miss ways. Like standing at the mounting block, for example. Or traveling alone on the trailer. Or basic riding stuff like accepting leg aids, and even just like, trotting. I say "easy to miss," tho, bc realistically it's natural to obsess on the weak spots, the problems, the "holes."

charles, looking cute in his new outdoor ring <3

My tendency is to get frustrated when the horse frantically rushes, yet again, through a ground pole exercise, rather than recognizing and praising her clever footwork as she organizes her legs into a right lead canter transition, her notoriously more tricky lead.

happy to be riding with friends!

This mare absolutely thrives off praise, tho. So... Right now, basically everything we work on is designed to be "easy" and "boring," routine recognizable exercises from which I can tell Doozy just how amazing she is. From which she can learn the feeling of being "petted and praised" down to walk after a job well done.

the humble plastic curry, my #1 must-have grooming tool. naturally had to buy a second so each horse has one!

Doozy was a super star at Jenny Camp last month, growing in confidence, experience and strength through each phase of the event -- ultimately finishing cross country in beautiful form. She walked away strutting like a newly minted champion, convinced that she is Queen Of Jompies, Knower Of Everything.

we desperately need more rain, but there's still a little grass out there!

Except, lol, she obviously does not know everything...   

In particular, she doesn't have an answer yet for tricky distances --- doesn't quite know how to use or adjust herself. And while she has a very good eye naturally, and good footwork, her default is to speed up and rush the fence -- launching and lurching flatly at it, vs stepping up and under for a strong push off from behind.

doozy, lookin uncertain in the cross ties at TM for a recent dressage lesson

So that's been our focus area ever since getting back to work post-quarantine at the new place. I promise we are still working on getting regular lessons. Coaching relationships take time and I've been spoiled by having some really really excellent past trainers. I'm also learning that not every approach will work for Doozy.

back at doozy's new farm, indoor wash stall also has hot and cold hydrants omg!

Specifically, relaxation must remain sacrosanct, IMO. Twice now, I've worked with trainers who could coach us into very good work in the moment --- but at the expense of increasing tension in the horse. Which, in my experience with this mare, makes that good work increasingly difficult to reproduce in future rides -- and takes us backward in the quality of my solo schooling rides.

ground poles until death or boredom, whichever comes first!
plus, peep all this cute jump fill we get to play with!

So we carry on in our independent #privateer style. Which lately involves revisiting the basics with ground poles and footwork. Utilizing poles spaced at 9' -- like in the picture above. I like this distance for Doozy bc it works for both trot and canter, and is generally forgiving. 

We work on the same or similar exercises in every ride, with slight variations in method and no ride lasting more than about 20min in this heat. One entire ride was spent trotting up to the poles, walking just before them, then trotting away after them, until we could actually trot the line in rhythm with soft contact. Until it was boring.

simple footwork exercises like pole to X to pole, 18' distances

Each ride has built on that exercise, until we were trotting into the ground poles -- and now picking up the canter at the first. Carrying that canter around on the circle, then back to trot into the poles, pick up canter, rinse repeat. 

Aiming for hyper soft contact. Letting Doozy make mistakes like lurching awkwardly or stepping on the poles. And showing her the mistakes aren't a big deal, aren't reason for panic.

sensitive red mare started going a little bald

Also aiming for "boring." For both of us. If she got too amped, then back to trotting up to the poles, then walking instead of cantering. Trying to make it feel easy, quiet. Nbd. 

Next we progressed to holding canter the whole way around the circle and through the poles. Working on holding the correct lead, finding a balance, waiting. And again, interspersing walk and trot as needed to regulate the excitement lol.

new fuzzy gifth from consignment! replacing the old ovation gel form, that was actually a hand-me-down from isabel if you can believe it!

Next we started re-introducing small jumps. Little X's, like the one pictured earlier, and also that flowery lattice gate from an earlier picture and other flower box filled small jumps, always with placing poles at takeoff and sometimes on landing too. 

it's a simple style girth but i quite like them!

The more fill, the better, IMO. While "building up" the jump might make Doozy more excitable, the ground poles and flower boxes also help encourage her to get more "up and over" vs "through." My takeoff poles are generally at the 9' distance, to replicate the same exact question as our ground pole exercise, and we experimented with landing poles at both 9' and 18'.

 

lady got new shoes with a new farrier too!

Doozy definitely gets more excited at the actual jumps, and wants to rush at them. It's really really hard for me to keep my hands soft when she does that, but catching her in the mouth just makes her even more inverted and awkward, reinforcing exactly the wrong feeling. So I hold the neck strap and let her make her mistakes.

he recommended putting her in bell boots to protect some of his shaping plans

But this is where all that praise comes in to play: Doozy knows when it doesn't feel good. She knows when she clobbers a rail and steps on the landing pole. I don't need to explain that to her, ya know? But I can use the ground pole exercise to show her the difference, and praise every single moment of softness or patience.

also at doozy's farm, another cat! this one might be a house cat, tho - i've only seen him once

We had a really great moment in our last session, with the flowery lattice gate jump, with takeoff pole at 9' and landing pole at 18', to be ridden on a circle. Her first time through was heinously frantic - including scrambling all over the landing pole (considering her natural step is def 12'+!).

he has beautiful eyes but wouldn't show the camera lol

But we just went right back to the ground poles like nbd, which she did very nicely, then held the circle right back to the actual jump. And wouldn't ya know it, right from the takeoff pole, it was apparent that she "got it." Like, absolutely aced the trot up to the pole, stepped up perfectly to actually jump the gate (instead of essentially hurdling it), and balanced through the 18' distance to the landing pole. 

Perfect! Good girl! I'm an absolute junkie for that feeling haha, not gonna lie. When it "clicks" for the horse, like she really understood the exercise <3 <3 <3 

doozy, with field friends

In a weird way, this season's intense heat has maybe been beneficial in forcing me to stay efficient and economical in these rides. Like, we need the consistent repetition --- but in short sweet and boring doses. I'm reminded of a lesson years ago with former trainer Dan C, and a very green Charlie, with instruction along the lines of:

"Don't take forever to get there. This work is exhausting - don't lollygag around waiting for him to soften up before we can do the exercise. Do something, change something. Make a difference. Slow him down. Soften him."

 

her grass is similarly parched, but still there!

That's been a useful mantra to keep in mind while we work on our ground poles and footwork exercises. No endless circling -- Only good productive repetition, aiming for clear positive stopping points, knowing that we can keep slowly building in the next session.

So we're making the most of the nasty weather, one simple boring ride at a time, with the hope that maybe once things cool off we'll be ready for anything!