The Ten Commandments of India

India has always been a special cookie. In riding terms she has never followed the rule book, she's written her own dressage rule book. So for you're entertainment I have written down some of India's "How to ride India" Rules.

1) Thou shalt not bother with thy pony's face

2) Thou shalt only bother with the pony's ribcage

3) Lateral work shall be done at least 62% of every ride

4) Transitions must be executed frequently by thy butt

5) Thou shall not touch thy pony's face unless to give directions*

6) Thy leg shall remain by thy girth

7) Thou shalt release thy inside rein at any opportunity

8) Thy hands shall not become busy

9) Thou shalt quit while thou are ahead

10) Thou shalt disregard all previous commandments when thy pony changes all the rules halfway through every ride

*seriously thy least amount of contact possible

Mary Wanless Clinic 2018

Semester is over....Let Show Season begin!

I made it to the end of the semester, a little worse for wear but I did it. I'm officially entering my last year of undergrad, and after that GRAD SCHOOL. Which is still less intimidating than being a real architect and having a real adult person job. I still don't know how to do "adult" things and it kind of freaks me out...

It will all be okay though because I will either figure it out or fall back on plan B which is to be a witch and live in the forest with a lot of ravens and just generally be really mysterious and slightly off-putting. So in horse news I entered India is her first official rated show for second level. She's done second level plenty of times but it was with pony club and technically those are not rated with USDF. So I'm currently going back and getting my scores for my bronze medal.
On a scale of one to ten....how bad would it be if I entered at third level next time with a 12% chance of actually getting a flying change....
I'm currently going between panicking about the show and feeling REALLY excited, I know I can do second level. Before India's arthritis episode we ran through 90% of fourth level... but its been a while and I'm scared we're going to get there and she will turn into freight train pony and pull my arms off like a scorned barbie doll. I'm getting there a day early so we can school so I should know what I'm up against. I just need to remember "if you have to fight something, fight the rib cage" which is trainer's way of saying don't worry about her head, keep the rib cage moving. When I get upset or frazzled that's the first thing that leaks out of my brain.