An evening toodle

The weather, while we need rain, hasn't been as bloody hot lately and it makes for some really pleasant evenings. And since it's been dry, the mosquitoes don't even seem as bad. Last night I decided that after a ridiculously busy day at work, I needed a bareback toodle. We could work on right leg and rein sensitivity and responsiveness without much pressure of a full workout. 

Hazel came to the barn with me and insisted on leading Gwyn up to the arena. I have a photo of Gwyn following Kaylee around like a puppy at this same age and this mare once again fills my heart with how precious and priceless she is. She kept her head low and followed that toddler with carefully placed feet. The only thing I need to do is show Hazel how to hold the lead line so Gwyn won't step on it. That was our only snafu, but even Gwyn started self correcting for getting too close and ground tying herself accidentally (lead rope was on the halter, not the bit, I know it's hard to tell)

Hazel has her own helmet, of course, and wants to put it on as soon as mine is on my head. She's also finally starting to show an interest in riding Gwyn, though not on her own. She likes riding with me. Since I had the bareback pad I think it was more comfortable for her too. She also likes holding the reins.

She chatters the whole time she's up there.

I worked on keeping Gwyn straight between me without using the arena edge and then also responsiveness to leg aids and neck reining as necessary. I didn't have my whip with me, and we didn't work on anything more than a walk.

As a random side note, I can't find my rainbow crop OR my black dressage whip and I have no idea where they might be.

Revelations I made, which might sound silly that I'm only figuring this out now, but ah well, that's why I'm taking lessons right?

Constant leg pressure aid was less effective than bumping her with a tap-tap-tap AND ALSO FUCKING EASIER ON MY LEG. Jesus. Why didn't I try that sooner? I feel like it's a super obvious thing and why didn't I do it, I have no idea. I feel silly. But there it is. I think I've been imagining my right leg as needing to be a wall or barrier which is making me hold contact and pressure, and that's probably wrong. So my mental approach to this needs to change. I'm going to experiment with this later when I can ride without a 2 year old in front of me.

Our selfie game is strong. I'm feeling really good about myself right now too with how everything is going health wise

So then I put kids to bed and promptly did a hip-opener yoga sequence and my legs are screaming at me WHY DO YOU HATE US!?? But I had cleaned my bedroom, like super clean and I now have a little yoga nook beside my bed that's just lovely and relaxing to be in.

The embarrassing before

The very zen after

And then I got crappy sleep because Hazel didn't sleep through the night like usual and woke up only to hear brays. Which is unusual. I figured someone went back to the barn and Saffron was calling to Gwyn and dismissed it.

Then I heard Gwyn whinny. And she doesn't really whinny unless she sees me at dinner time or unless someone escaped.

...

I'm sure that grass was nice and tasty but one of these things doesn't belong

On the plus side, my coworkers were highly amused by my text of "Running late, donkey escaped" As it turned out, I forgot to latch a stall door last night and despite putting both boards up on the door, Saffron is adept at lifting the bottom board just enough to slide under and then it settles back into place. So that was a great start to my morning,

Then, I stopped at the post office because I had a package from Belgium that needed to be signed for and for the life of me I couldn't remember what I was expecting from overseas.

I finally saw the box. It's the god damn megasus horse runners.

You know. That arrived after I caved and put shoes on Gwyn.