New Perspectives

This is a rambling post.

I am enjoying my equestrian class even more this semester than last semester. Partly because I love new experiences like riding in western tack. In the past, I never focused on my equitation when riding in a western saddle. Now I'm learning how to place my legs, how to sit the lope without flying around like a kite at the end of my stirrups, how long my reins should be. Today I was told that my reins were too long. I think that it's an improvement because the first day of class my instructor told me over and over to let go of my horse's head (english habits die hard). By the end of this semester, I will be introduced to teaching sliding stops and some cow work. Learning how to do those things has never even crossed my mind before!

Another reason I'm enjoying this class is that it's purpose is to train us to train horses. Of course, the instructor is also teaching us riders, but with the ultimate goal of being able to train horses. This is especially useful to me, because I want to be able to train horses in the saddle. I'm managed to teach myself groundwork skills with green and young horses. However, my equitation sucks. It's terrible. It's so so bad. And there is no chance that I will be able to teach myself how to ride well. That is much more difficult and dangerous than teaching myself groundwork techniques. This class is exactly what I need to learn how to ride in a way that trains the horse as well.

I also love the freedom in this class! I have half an hour to practice anything I want to practice, which usually means loping because I have the least experience with it. I have a horse that loves to go forward. The lessons aren't overly controlling and we aren't being babied. Every lab is a new adventure.

Updates

Good news! The warm weather has returned. By warm, of course, I mean roughly 20 degrees Fahrenheit. This means I can venture out into the winter wonderland to visit my filly. The footing is still problematic due to ice under the foot or so of snow, so I haven't done any training. I did throw a halter on her in the pasture, however, to see how much she remembers. I was pleasantly surprised to find that she is soft and responsive. 

Thankfully, as you can see in the picture above, Ava has grown hair over all of her bald patches! She still has a few suspect scabs I'm keeping an eye on, but this is a huge improvement. 

I noticed that she has lost her hay belly, so she is now getting half a cup of grain once a day. Depending on how she responds to that emotionally and physically, I might change it to twice a day. 

So curious

As for me, I have been spending my winter months doing the whole college thing. The highlight of my weekly schedule is that I have once more enrolled in a college level riding course. It is an introduction to reining and cutting, which is completely foreign to me. What an exciting learning opportunities. While Ava enjoys her winter vacation, I've been enjoying another of my hobbies: fish keeping!

This is Astor.

If you have read my last blog, you will know that I have owned several bettas. My first betta lived a long life, but all the fish that followed died quickly and I couldn't figure out why. A little research later, I discovered that it is actually harmful for bettas to be kept in unheated 1 gallon fishbowls like mine.

Astor is now comfortably situated in a 2.5 gallon heated, filtered aquarium. I even got some marimo moss balls to keep him company. I was amazed by how active he became when I put him in the new tank. He moves around more and his fins have grown out. Hopefully, this means he will live a longer, healthier life.

Trust

After weeks of cold and snow and illness, I was thrilled to find a warm day to visit Avalon. To my delight, she was as cuddly as ever. I love this horse so much! She appears to be in good health - thinner than the last time I saw her, but not enough to cause me any worry. Fun fact about Ava: I don't take selfies because I like selfies. I try to take pictures of Avalon, and she follows me around too closely to get a good angle! While I was crouching in the snow taking pictures, I remembered a piece of advice that her old owner gave me the day I brought Ava home. She reminded me not to trust Avalon until I had gotten to know her. As my filly stood behind me and stretched her head out to sniff my phone, I thought to myself, "I'd say I trust her now." 

Of course, if the wind was blowing or we were in the arena, it would be a different story!