Pre work ride

 Okay, so... daylight savings isn't soooo bad. Although I was exhausted yesterday and ready for bed so early. I still didn't get to sleep til after 11, but.. better than midnight. I didn't have to leave for work til 10:40 am, so.. I was hoping to sneak in a ride. I got up at 7:30 and then decided to hit snooze for another 30 minutes. I got the ponies fed, ate breakfast, did some laundry and then decided I had just enough time left to ride. 

I grabbed Funny and did a speed groom and tack. I got on and we headed up to the arena. It was pretty this morning... quite warm and slightly foggy after all the rain. We did a little shoulder in at the walk and then we went to trot since time was running low. She started out quite good and overall we had a pretty decent ride. She got a little squirrely and was tossing her head a good bit, but after a little bit of an arugment, we both agreed to compromise and we got a happier connection. Tracking left is still harder, but we had some good moments. It's definitely better when my body cooperates. She got a little fussy again today and a little proppy but no bucking. (I do think that's a pre-heat thing because she's not been glaringly in heat but snuggling up close to Dan and I think I noticed her in heat today, so hopefully that's all it is). 

We cantered and the right lead canter was lovely and the left got really quite nice. Then things got a bit quicker again but I did manage some really nice trot after too. Then we played with shoulder in at the trot, and sitting trot, and she was really good! She did peter out at the end but a little bit of leg kept her going. And we tried a half pass at the walk which was decent. I forgot to try it at the trot. Oh, and we also had a most lovely upward walk to trot transition where I finally nailed the balance of asking with a whisper and not yelling at her and actually getting a response. Whoo hoo! Now to repeat that every time.

We finished with the nice shoulder in trots and then a normal lovely trot to a nice stretchy trot! Like a really nice TRUE stretchy trot... not just running on her forehand. She got bouncy!! And then we got a nice downward to the walk and a nice walk. So we quit! And then my alarm went off as we walked out of the gate. Ha! Good timing. 

 

She got untacked, treated, and then a quick rub down with the rag. Luckily she wasn't too sweaty as it was a shorter ride and still slightly cooler. I tossed her out and then went inside, changed clothes, made my coffee and was putting my shoes on when my first appointment called and cancelled. UGH!! They got stuck at work and wouldn't be home til 1, which is when my 2nd appt of the day was. Man... I could have ridden longer had you called 15 minutes ago! Or gone to Ashland had you called yesterday! But I get it... she even went to work early to make it home on time but unfortunately she got stuck there longer. Oh well. I ended up going to Hobby Lobby to get stuff to make my hellhat fancier, so that was fun.