"Warm Weather"

I took this picture with a new toy I'll be posting about soon.

I finally spent some time at the barn! It was warmer today, a whole 34 degrees Fahrenheit. Right now, that doesn't feel very warm, but I know once the January -30 wind chill days arrive I will miss days like today. In March when it finally warms back up to 30 degrees, all we country hicks will break out the short sleeves and leave our coats inside. It's interesting how our bodies adapt. Today, I wore three layers and kept hand warmers in my pockets.

Broke out the Banixx, we'll see if it improves the rain rot situation. While picking the packed snowballs out of Avalon's hooves, I noticed how different the soles of her white hooves look from her black hoof. Her hind right leg is a pretty marbled mix of both. Random, but I love those odd quirks in a horse's coloration. 

I've been taking a basic riding class from my university to regain my seat and relearn the aids. I was happy to discover that we would be talking about levels of training in class. During the classroom portion of the class we've talked about the pyramid of training, which has helped me form a plan for starting Avalon next spring. In the riding portion of the class, I have discovered a lot of things I didn't know. 

1) Leg at the girth alternates with the hind legs. I don't know how I lived through years of lessons and never figured this out! I always thought that the legs were supposed to give pressure at the same time. I also thought that they squeezed once to go and then remained passive. Nope, the legs are cuing with each step of the hind legs, each leg with the corresponding hind leg. Makes so much more sense.

2) Half halts at the trot are so so hard. You have to squeeze with the inside leg as you rise, squeeze with the outside leg as you fall (if posting on the correct diagonal), and gently squeeze the rein corresponding to the leg aid you are applying. 

3) After jumping for the first time in years, I really miss it. 

4) "Safety position". I think I was half-heartedly taught this position when I was in USPC, but I didn't pay much attention to it. Now that I am planning on starting a baby horse with a lot of energy and even more attitude, I am so thankful that there is such a thing as what my professor calls "safety position". Basically, you bridge the reins and press them (the extra loop, not the part directly connected to the bit) against the horse's neck while standing in two-point position. This allows extra stability during bucking, rearing, and twisting. 

I'm so excited for next spring. This is gonna be a long winter of waiting!