October Already

Nothing of note happening around here lately. I have most of my fall yard work accomplished except for storing four lawn chairs. I tried to replant a peony that had been put in a too shady location. I read that peonies hate to be transplanted but if you had to do it to try to ensure you didn't disturb the roots too much. So I dug a big area around the peony and when I went to lift it by the base of the plant, it broke off in my hand. Okie doke, I didn't mean for that to happen. I wonder if the plant will come back in its old location next year or if I just killed it.

I harvested the potatoes and got a good amount - more than we need since a 5 pound bag usually sprouts before we eat them all. I took about half of them to my trainer yesterday. I had two plastic shoe boxes full of duck pellets from when the wild ducks used to visit my yard every day. One of my trainers other students has ducks and geese so I took those to the barn for her. Slowly but surely I'm getting rid of stuff I don't need. Now I should list some Christmas items on eBay and get those out of the house.

My riding lessons have been going great. I'm trotting a lot more and becoming more successful at keeping the horse rounded. Yesterday I assumed more of a dressage position than the hunter/jumper stance I'd been using. I'm using my legs more and my stirrups less as I post. On the not so great side, I need someone to push my right leg over the horse as I mount (stupid arthritis) I'm trying to do warm-up exercises to make me stronger and more flexible. Usually dismounting isn't too much of a problem as everything seems to ease up as I ride. Sometimes I still drag my foot across the horse's rear but most of the time I can clear it.

Oh, we worked on visualization yesterday. I am fairly incompetent at going from a trot to a walk and my trainer said to just think "walk" and the horse immediately slowed down. I was impressed. I wish I could afford to ride three times a week. I think I'd make faster progress and it would be good for my overall health. I don't get much physical activity in the winter since gardening's not an option. We have most of the repairs done around the house so maybe I could swing it...

I'm riding with a clinician next Friday and Sue Kolstad is also supposed to be here this month. I'm probably wasting their time since I don't plan to ever compete but I get a lot out of our sessions.