In Which Gwyn is not Forgotten

 With all of the excitement of Leche, Gwyn has not been abandoned in the slightest. 

I signed up for a paint and sip class and brought Gwyn's Sweet Sixteen Photo shoot picture with me to use. I'm SO pleased with the result. I took a few progress photos while I painted. I want to go again! My coworker was supposed to go with me but she bailed due to a migraine so I went solo. Highly recommend if they have them in your area.

The kids have been joining me quite frequently on my barn trips. Hazel comes to play with Riley, and will really only into the barn if Riley isn't available. Kaylee will come too and usually wants to ride when she does.

Gwyn is always sweet to them. She gets pampered when they are around.

Though this is the face of a horse who KNOWS I have cookies in my pocket.

One night I went out and she was just COVERED in shavings. Girlfriend had been napping in her stall right before I got there.

She got prettified before I got on. 

I didn't need another dressage whip, but I needed THIS dressage whip, IYKYK

Here we are sharing an apple.

Kaylee is grooming. She did get on and Gwyn proceeded to be NAUGHTY (for Gwyn) and ignore Kaylee on board.  We quickly revised the plan and I got on. This was right before my lesson and it was good to have her in the 'naughty' frame of mind to work with that with Chriss.

She's been wearing reindeer antlers all month because I am Like That.

This night she decided that she was a harlot and despite squealing at Finn, backed her butt up right into his face and let him lick her.

This gelding is sweet as can be and just wanted to lick her. Nothing more.

This was my solstice ride on the 21st. I wore my light up skirt and we had a lovely ride.

And lesson on Christmas Eve Eve. Gwyn was great. I'm really focusing now on fixing me so that I don't mess up baby when the time comes to back her. So we're really focusing on my straightness, which, to no one's surprise, still helps Gwyn. I've gotten so much better and just remembering to keep my left hand forward fixes a lot of things. I'm starting to focus on some subtle changes and Gwyn is responding so well to them. I feel like I've become a much better rider in the past year and and a half and it's a great mindset to be in when you're in a reflections kind of mood at year end.

Even though we only walked during the lesson, Gwyn needed a sun nap. She looks so blissful here.

WWDS Scrubbed But It's Okay

Well, the World's Worst Dressage Show got postponed for very legitimate concerns. Many of the competitors were going to be traveling over mountain passes to attend and the show organizers opted to postpone to the end of April so that they and their ponies could travel safely. 

I was honestly, relieved. I've been GO GO GO all of February and while that was okay and I could manage, having a weekend to finally breathe and spend time with family was what my body needed. 

I was able to go consign some of my unneeded horse stuff at the 4H Tack Sale at the Fairgrounds on Friday which I've been meaning to do for YEARS. Discovered a family of mice had nested in some baby blankets as a result, so those are now trash. Gross. 

Had my regularly scheduled riding lesson Saturday morning. Had a minor breakthrough in discovering that I really look too far to the inside of my circles and it's making it hard for Gwyn to be straight. If I adjust how I look, suddenly she can become straighter easier. Amazing how that works, sometimes.

We worked a lot on straightness, even in bend on a 20m circle since Gwyn offers the illusion of bend by turning her neck but not really engaging from her hind. I was really starting to get the feel of the whole horse and putting all the aids together. I need to keep more contact in the outside rein, which will help keep her nose more to the center of her chest (not pulled to her chest, just aligned). This helps my inside leg aid be more effective in asking her to step under herself (with whip tapping to enforce the ask) while controlling the shoulder with outside leg and rein. 

At least I look good. Gwyn decided on mare ears

We had SO MANY good moments. I'm still in Feel, Think, React, which makes my "React" too late, but I'm getting better about reacting on instinct and correcting AS Chriss points out that Gwyn is crooked. So I'm feeling faster when her body gets misaligned and not needing to think the mechanics through for what my response should be. When I started I didn't have the feel AT ALL so yay! Or sometimes even know what I needed to do.  

I like to say that Chriss's lessons are super simple but also super tough. I have basic skills to be competent on a horse, but this is giving me finesse and I love it. 

We all went to the tack sale after lessons and I found some good deals on the few things I was looking for. I only got one item that wasn't on my list, so I'm proud of that one. And you'll see why I couldn't resist it.

On Sunday, the sun came out and I needed to pick up the items that didn't sell. Hazel wanted to go play with Riley and Kaylee opted to come too to ride Gwyn. She also helped me groom and I'm always struck by how good of a kids horse Gwyn is on the ground. She is so careful around them and is starting to be a good under saddle kids horse (with heavy supervision). 

My splurge purchase from the tack sale. It's hand embroidered with peacocks. 

I was shocked that this was available and for the price I snagged it. It's an equipedic endurance pad which retails new for $270+. It was listed at $100. I was hoping to find a saddle pad that was shimmable so I could get spinal clearance for use with my TCS. But then there's a brand I've been considering buying new anyway! Instant yes. 

I need to remember to bring stirrups and leathers for Kaylee so I can just switch them out. Mine don't go short enough for her. Check out good girl Gwyn. After Kaylee, I hopped on to practice what I'd worked on in my lesson. 

We enjoyed the sunshine while the kids played. 

And we enjoyed the view of the snow capped mountains on the way home across the river valley.

Beginnings and Endings

This is from about Solstice on. We tried a new tradition this year and started opening a present a day from Solstice through Christmas Day. Our family isn't religious, and we're trying to be less christian centric in the holidays we celebrate, so this felt nice. And with two young kids, you get to spread out the joy and enjoyment of gifts so they have more time to appreciate individual items. 

"Good Rides Only" on the spine of my new constellation pad

We got hit with a blizzard the week before Christmas, which effectively sent kids into winter break two days early and wreaked havoc on my work schedule

A solstice simmer pot for good, pagan vibes

Barn owner posted this, with Gwyn in the background

My mom was able to make a new stocking to replace the old one she'd made for Claire when we got married. It meant SO much to Claire that she did it. It was a surprise for us both when it arrived before christmas! My mom made all of the ones with names except for mine.

One of my gifts was new keys for my mechanical keyboard. They are in my fav colors (purple and teal) and allow the light to come through

Christmas Eve day feed store outfit since Gwyn needed more grain

Christmas Day barn trip. The Goober is regaining some topline! Our slow and steady work is paying off

Another Christmas present. Claire got me a dressage style and her face went WHITE when I told her that this must mean I should get a dressage saddle next. 

It worked just fine with my AP saddle :) 

AND SPARKLES

The covered arena was freshly dragged. We were the first hooves in it!

Day after Christmas, Gwyn politely stayed where I put her while I went to help Hazel with something.

Gwyn was very concerned with both Hazel AND the feed room being messed in.

Lesson day, mid week, during daylight! Worked on a lot of lateral movement. 

Lateral movement has been the focus of lessons lately but it's also helping Gwyn build strength where she needs it. Shoulder fore, leg yield, asking her for more weight on the hind end. We lose some of the ability to do lateral work at the trot but are slowly working up to it. Part of it is me losing all coordination within my own body when posting. 

I don't have particular showing goals this year beyond getting legged back up for LDs and maybe doing some intro dressage again for miles, and the FCPC derby in August. 

I kicked off 2023 with a trail ride at Bridle Trails with Cortney, Trudy and Trudy's friends. Gwyn was content to lead for the whole ride, which was good because two of the horses were anxious wrecks. We got a decent ride in despite their anxiety, though Gwyn apparently walked too fast for Ace (the gray on the left, above), who jigged the the whole time, which was slower than Gwyn's walk. 

Again, I just love Bridle Trails. It's green year round with excellent footing. Love the evergreen nature of the evergreen state.

I dressed up for this event with a 2023 headband and Gwyn and I were bedecked in holo accessories. The park was packed with families. It's a state park and WA state runs free days where a parking pass isn't required. Jan 1 is one of those dates. Additionally, it was also part of the First Day Hike program where there are organized hikes across the state parks. At this park, they had carrots and cocoa!

I didn't want this ride to be just a casual walk in the woods. I made sure I was constantly checking in on Gwyn's 'crookedness' as we traveled down the path. So if we were walking straight I made sure she was traveling straight or I was asking for leg yields back and forth across the wide path. If we had curves, I made sure that she was bending and stepping under herself appropriately. It kept her brain engaged for sure, and she had lots of snorts and stretches as we walked. 

A few times Cortney and Reign pulled ahead. Reign and Gwyn actually got along today!

Gwyn was very interested in the trailer after Reign loaded so I just... let her go to see what would happen. My "hates slant loads and enclosed trailers" mare hopped right on. Dork. At least I know that Cortney could haul us in a pinch!

HOLOGRAPHIC: Winter is the only time where Gwyn tolerates this pad. It does not breath well. 

Happy Mare with leftover breakfast, lunch and naked time in the sun.

Later that day I got awful news from Cortney and spent Jan 2nd by her side once she was home.  So 2023 can already suck it. Immediate mood swing to the negative. I'm glad that I was able to drop everything and go be with her. 

I helped her with barn chores and got to see Saffron