Record Setting Snowfall

Ah yes, another first; snow starting yesterday and continuing today. Normally, Memorial Day is our big weekend for putting out plants. Last Saturday was warm, I had the windows open and was contemplating taking advantage of some coupons I had for a local nursery. It wasn't getting below freezing at night and surely I could safely start hardening off the tender young plants. The one thing that stopped me was that supposedly it is safe to plant once the leaves on the birch trees are as big as a squirrel's ear. I haven't even seen a glimpse of green yet. Then the temperature kept getting lower and I decided not to risk spending money on something just to have it killed off by frost. The forecast called for snow later in the week and darned if they weren't right for once. I did see several robins earlier in the day when it was still raining. I bet they're ready to fly south again.

I had switched over to my summer riding boots and my feet were cold yesterday for the first time ever, despite having on wool socks. On the positive side, the lesson was great and I got some extra riding time since the person who normally rides after me had canceled. My trainer put the horse on a lunge line and had me practice sitting trot both with and without stirrups. Surprisingly, I do better without stirrups; I think because I sit deeper in the saddle.

The first show of the season is supposed to be next weekend. Several events to be held over both this and last weekend have been canceled because the arenas aren't dry yet - one is being used by geese which should give you an idea of how wet it is. Good times...

Don't Fruit the Beer!

I just saw a commercial for a canned margarita made with beer. Come on, Budweiser. Don't stoop to this.

I Survived

I rode five days in a row last week. The clinician was great, however, she really wanted me to work on posting correctly and boy, did my legs feel it. I use my stirrups too much when I should be using the muscles in my thighs, so got to post without stirrups. I am to practice without stirrups in incremental steps until I can ride all the way around the arena. Um, yeah, we'll see. Fortunately, my regular trainer took pity on me for my two lessons with her and let me stay at a walk and work on collection, side passes and such. I did ride for about an extra half hour on Friday and felt great that evening. Saturday, not so much.

One of the other barns out here is holding a driving clinic in May. I thought I would go and watch for fun but another woman said she had a pony I could use to actually take a lesson with. I figure I can take up driving once I'm too feeble to get on the back of a horse. That day may be sooner than later.

Found another deal on Craigslist. A patio table, six chairs, two lounge chairs and a side table for $150. Not that I ever sit outside due to mosquitos but my husband thought we needed a new set. He will sit outside and smoke cigars which apparently keeps pests away (I know I won't come near) I wrote how the glass table top to our old set got shattered during a wind storm last fall. He wants to put in a plywood sheet and have me tile over it. Meanwhile, I'm looking for a replacement glass place...

Busy Week Ahead

Not that busy compared to when I held down a job, but more activity than is usual nowadays. I am going to ride five days in a row. I know lots of people ride several horses every day but this will be a first for me. I'm riding with a visiting clinician on Monday, Wednesday and Thursday and decided to go ahead and have my regular riding lessons on Tuesday and Friday. Hope my old body is up for the challenge.

I noticed a corner of my pillowcase was soaking wet this morning with holes chewed in it. This particular set of sheets came with four pillowcases and I only use two. I had wondered what I'd do with the others, but am now glad that I've got them. Thanks Winston.

No Hands, Revisited

Bailed on Tuesday's lesson. I had a throbbing headache and my husband had the flu or something. Although it had stopped snowing (finally) the driveway hadn't been plowed because he was feeling so poorly. I felt better later in the day and decided to go grocery shopping. Four-wheel drive gets me where I want to go. I had also sold three items on eBay and had to go to the post office both Tuesday and Wednesday to mail the merchandise.

Poor guy was ill and didn't get around to plowing until Thursday. He usually plows a couple of the neighbors also but they had to fend for themselves.

When I showed up for my lesson yesterday I told my trainer that we'd better start working on trotting in case I had to trot four days in a row at the clinic later this month. She agreed and said she'd told last Saturday's clinician that I hadn't been trotting but apparently she'd forgotten (or was a masochist) She even reiterated this fact when she entered the arena and saw me careening around on her horse.

So yesterday's lesson was pretty much all trot work. Near the end she put a lunge line on the horse and had me work on both sitting trot and posting trot with my hands on my hips. She decided that my saddle is part of the problem with my legs tending to get out of position so we are going to try a riser pad next lesson. I've used them in the past and found they put me in an uncomfortable position. With my luck, that position is most likely the correct way to sit a horse.

My Front Yard

It's been snowing almost non-stop since yesterday. That was almost noteworthy enough to photograph and the moose in the front yard today clinched it.

I drove to Anchorage Friday and took a lesson at my old barn. Yesterday I had a session with an out of town clinician. I hadn't trotted in months and then two days in a row have practically crippled me. Obviously I'm going to need to start working trotting into my lessons so I don't completely fall apart at a four day clinic later this month.

Whoa

Yesterday I worked on getting the horse to stop and then not creep. It's a lot harder than one would think. I have to remember to grip with my thighs, sit deep in the saddle, check with the reins and I'm allowed to cheat and say "whoa" or "ho" but "ho" makes me laugh. There's nothing like a 60 year old woman with the maturity level of a 14 year old boy. Sometimes when I'm doing everything correctly and the horse is still ignoring me, the trainer will get on and fine-tune him. I'm just too afraid of doing something wrong to be as assertive as I sometimes need to be. Once she's convinced him that he can do what is being requested of him, I get back in the saddle and things generally progress nicely from there. The extra thigh pressure is so minute that it's almost imperceptible. I also have to remember to not keep hauling back on the reins, but release almost immediately. It's just all so nit-picky and I absolutely love it!

I will be attending a couple of clinics in April. I think I will limit myself to just one session with the first clinician since I already signed up for all four days with the second one. These clinics gave me an excuse to order some new breeches and a white saddle pad. I'm holding off on getting a new helmet but mine will be three years old in July so I'm thinking I may be due for a new one.

The horses are shedding despite the fact it was below zero last night and we had a bunch of snow earlier in the week. I'm furminating and using "Slick N Easy" in addition to the regular currying and brushing. In gratitude, the horse stepped on my foot yesterday.


I don't think anything is broken but that fourth toe sure doesn't feel too good today.