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

Back on Trails in November

 I had a frustrating moment in a lesson where it seemed like all the work we'd been doing was for naught and Gwyn was still lame under saddle and it really sent me spiraling into some self blaming places. Regardless, I knew that mentally I would benefit from a change of pace where I knew I couldn't go wrong. The solution was, of course, a trail ride at Bridle Trails. The trails are all wide, well manicured, and I planned to remain at a walk and not be out longer than the length of the work Gwyn had been doing so far in lessons. Typically lessons are around an hour if you include the long lining, but this would be the first time I'd bump up the under saddle time since rehab began so in the manner of Long Slow Distance, we kept speed and distance low for an increased ride time. I just wanted her relaxed and stretched out over her back in the walk. 

Gwyn loaded like a champ. She'd been off property twice at this point since the injury but we'd done minimal things. Either way, this horse loves adventure and it was promising to be a nice day for adventure. I extended an invite to folks at the barn but no one ended up taking me up on the offer, which turned out for the best, I think. I got a late start and since we'd recently had the time change, I was running out of daylight. Arriving at the parking lot of the state park, a park ranger verified that I knew the park was closing at dusk, i.e. 5pm. I assured him that was fine, I wasn't planning to ride for long. There was one other trailer in the lot.

Gwyn calmly exited the trailer and looked around briefly. I unloaded her as the other rider returned to their trailer. She only glanced at those horses before standing quietly on the opposite side of the trailer. She clearly knew where we were, she did check when other vehicles drove in, I think looking for Cortney's rig, but was unbothered that she was alone. She did creep on me when I went to the porta potty though. 

I opted to ride her in my hackamore. It was going to be a low pressure ride and I didn't anticipate control being an issue. We rarely use the hackamore, but again, she took it all in stride. I hopped on and we headed out on the trail near the arenas. She was a little sticky to start but soon found her rhythm. We needed a reminder that she is quite capable of walking up the tiny little hills at Bridle Trails but it didn't last long before the enthusiasm of being in a forest again overtook any muliness.

I mainly wanted her walking without her head in the hair and we achieved that for basically the whole ride. 

There were happy ears the entire time. 

And a squirrel posed at the top of the tree, with the sun illuminating the forest like magic. 

When we'd gotten back to the arenas I took her into them to practice a little of what we'd been doing in lessons just to practice what I needed. She was not as amenable to arena work but I kept expectations and the ask low and ended on a good note before either of us got too frustrated. 

I did wrap her hinds with a bit of support for the ride, because I was so fucking paranoid. Did it do anything? No idea. But it didn't hurt. I also had her BOT saddle pad, again, just in case, since we were changing up the work demand. 

She actually was sweaty after this ride, which was significant considering we only walked AND it was cold out. But we did do a slow 3 miles over 1 hour, just about, which is the longest she's worked since rehab began.

She was very good though, and we both appreciated the change of pace. Plus I got a beautiful view of a winter dusky sky as we headed back to the barn. And after this, I've gone on to have some amazing, amazing lessons and I'm feeling much better about the direction we're going. 

We've got a lot of work left to do through the winter, but I feel so much better knowing that the trails are an option again and will be beneficial for us both, mentally and physically. We'll stick to Bridle Trails for now, with minimal hill work, and increase distance. Then add in hillier places where I won't feel the sunk/cost fallacy in traveling there for a shorter ride like Bracken, Moss Lake, or Lord Hill.