Rode Rave and India today. They were both wonderful (as usual. i'm the one that messes things up)

One of my moms students rode India but all they did was walk and not for very long, so I got on after and did about 10 more minutes. She was LOVELY. Today was the first day since her rehab started that she was perfectly willing to keep her head down. Which is a huge step forward! She wasn't as responsive to my flexions as i would have liked, but considering the girl that rode before me doesn't even really understand flexions i was pretty happy and let the issue lie. We also did some lateral work and a couple simple changes, she still has some barge through the down transistion but much better than before we started operant conditioning. When I have more time I should do a basic write up about operant conditioning. Tomorrow is her day off so I can work on flexions and the barge on Tuesday no problem! 

Rave mostly paid attention, but since she's only been doing actual work since this past November its to be expected! And she's only 6.Thank god she's not 5, i'm not sure i'm ready to go through the 5 year old year again this soon. I need some time to recover! Zuli turned five and suddenly wanted to live on her hind legs. And there was no half assing her rearing.... she went all the way up or not at all! So anyway Rave... Her walk and trot are becoming quite respectable so today I decided its really time to tackle the canter. I usually don't touch canter for a good while after I get a horse, and I got her in October and have maybe cantered 13 times since? But its finally time to be a big girl and learn about canter transistions. Her down tranisitions are actually not bad, I made sure she had very good brakes before I even went to trot. I'm not a fan of careening around the arena. It is unnecessary. If you can't walk correctly whats the point in trotting??  

She doesn't quite understand the transistion yet so it's going to be a bit ugly for a while. Which is fine it's all part of the process. And plus I have a big fat ZERO show plans for her any time soon! 

Which is more of a relief than one would guess. Theres no time limit, no pressure, and no real expectations except the ones I determine. Which if we're being honest are pretty difficult to live up to on my own let alone add in showing on top of me. 

Its been a while

you could say I rediscovered that I had a blog 4 years later.... and you wouldn't be wrong.
I did completely forget about it. life got busy, life got tough, things changed, and things stayed the same.

I'm 23 now. Hard to believe looking through this blog when I was but a tiny little nugget.
I'm a senior in college, and in two years I'll graduate with a BARCH degree in architecture and sustainability.
I'm almost done with my RWYM rider biomechanics coaching certification.
I got a new horse, then had to retire her at 7 over an undisclosed sesamoid fracture. Her name is Azula.

this is her when i was still riding

I'm still not over it. She is a true soulmate and I'm fighting very hard to do whats best for her and be able to retire her where shes very happy.

I leased India out for a year to a wonderful kid who sadly lost interest. The parents didn't keep up to date with her vet checks and she ended up having some bad arthritis develop. As soon as I found out I took her right back. 

She has had injections in her hocks and stifles and is currently getting massage and acupuncture once a month (lucky bug) and has been in a rehab workout schedule for six months. we're back to schooling first and second level even better than last time. She turns 18 this march and other than some pain management shes good to keep going!

Falco was put down when he was 27, his cushings got bad really fast at the end. But he spent his last year wandering around a good friends farm bellowing like a hippo at all the ladies.

My mom ending up buying another chestnut gelding named Falkland 

He likes to channel Oscar the grouch and if he was a person he would definitely like to sit on the couch with a beer belly. But deep down he is a sweet boy and we wouldn't trade him for anything. They are schooling second level getting ready to move up to third. 

The newest member of the motley crew is Ravala. 

Shes a six year old thoroughbred that honestly looks more like 3 year old warmblood. Shes also the tallest at 16.2. Which is ironic because I'm the shortest at only 5'2" 

She doesn't really know anything and I've only had her since october, but she learns fast. The more she comes out of her shell the more I understands just how fast she learns. She's got three great gaits, clean x-rays, and shes not scared of anything (except face towels on occasion, but I doubt the validity of these claims) 

So I guess I'll write again.... maybe redo the blog theme (its so old) I'd like to start using it again.