Advanced Horsemanship

So I just registered for next semester classes (sort of/mostly), and upon discussing what I need in order to graduate with ms. Baker, we decided that I was going to need six classes. Sort of a drag for my final semester, but she had an idea. She suggested that I do the EQU363 class, which is called Advanced Horsemanship, but is really just an independent study. I thought, gee, that's all well and good, but what does that mean? exactly? It means that Dee gets to be my class project, apparently! Still lost? Let me explain...
Basically, this summer I will set a goal and keep a training log for Dee, taking pictures and videos to document her progress. Once I've gathered up all the information, I'll make it into a full paper and video presentation. Fun! Class credit for playing with my horse!
So now, the big question: what ARE my goals? I want to keep them pretty loose, but here we go, my goals up until the start of school:
1. Get Dee's canter to be balanced, and get the correct lead on the first try most of the time.
2. Start over fences

So how am I going to achieve this? Through lessons with Nancy, Steph and Bettina, hopefully!

This week has been a good one for Dee and I. Tuesday, she spent most of our ride pretending to be a giraffe, but after a million walk/trot transitions, she finally began doing this absolutely beautiful stretchy trot... I was amazed! She was long, low, forward and totally balanced. We achieved this for the equivalent of 4 times around the ring, so I just quit, telling her what a wonderful mare she is. Wednesday I was running terribly late and didn't get a chance to ride. Yesterday was more transition work.. yay. Her transitions really aren't terrible. She's very sensitive to the seat, both from walk to halt and trot to walk. She was pretty good overall... didn't get the same amount of fabulous stretchy trot, but we did get some, so I was pleased. If it's not pouring this afternoon, I'll be riding her again, otherwise she may have to wait until tomorrow or sunday.
I am also happy to report that she has suddenly decided that getting her butt curried is the BEST THING EVER. However, she shows this by leaning into the curry comb, which eventually ends up with her butt against the wall and me struggling to reach it and yelling at her to move over. As to the mystery gray situation... she has a WHOLE lot of it, especially right around the point of the hip and the butt. There's less on her back and neck, but there is some. What a weirdo... it will be interesting to see what color my horse is this summer!

"Drop the last year into the silent limbo of the past. Let it go, for it was imperfect, and thank God that it can go."

New year, new goals, new experiences. Last year, I said goodbye to a few friends and a nice horse, I found myself sidelined for too long with a back injury and I spent many long hours fretting about how things would ever work out. For the most part, the bad eclipsed the good, but there was some good to be had. I was editor of Post's literary magazine, "Tapestry", I was the editor of the Post Script - a newspaper my journalism class put out - and managed to get several poems published with the Litchfield Review. I began working part time for someone new, bought a lovely young mare, became a lot closer to some of my friends and found out that there are a lot of people in my life that I can turn to for advice and support. I suppose that's one good thing about tumultuous times... you find out who your friends are and you find out who YOU are. That said, I'm glad to have 2009 in my rearview mirror. I can't imagine that 2010 can be much worse than 2009, so I'm looking forward to it.
I don't like to make many concrete goals at the new year, because I find that even the best laid plans of mice and men go oft awry. There are, however, some things that I'm hoping to accomplish in the coming year.

1. Get out my second (and final) edition of Tapestry.

2. Complete at least one event with Dee. I hope to do 3 or maybe 4, but if we don't, we don't. I'm in no hurry with her, and I just want her to have a fun, educational year while she finishes growing into herself. Plus, besides events, I want to try to get her to some local dressage shows and maybe a jumper show or clinic.

3. Graduate from Post in December. Eek! I can't believe that it's LESS than a year from now. I still don't know where I'll end up, but I'm a little more confident now.

Those are my three main goals. Nothing big. There are, of course, things that I'd like to work on throughout the year, but I won't call them goals. For instance, I would like to find more time to go hiking... at least once a week would be nice, if not more. I'm sure that there are more things I'd like to work on, but I can't think of them at the moment.

On a different note... pony pictures!










And after all of that, I guess all that I have left to say is... 2010? Allons-y!