Ahead of Schedule

Sometimes it's been easy for me to feel discouraged lately. I so miss taking lessons and the consistent progress that you can make with feedback like that. I've also been lacking consistency this winter for a few reasons and of course that means a lack of progress as well. 

But sometimes it is so clear that we have come so far and tonight was one of those times.

Squeeeeee! Look at her :) 

(Not at my messy lines)

She was soooo good! From last fall when I couldn't get near her with a running clipper to tonight with her standing stock still, even falling asleep sometimes, while I got both sides clipped. Tomorrow I'm going to bring it the rest of the way back in more of a trace clip but this was a great place to end while she was still being good. It's a little higher in the front than it should be but for my first time clipping a horse I'll take it!

Look at her little clipped spots!! She is just the most adorable little thing in the world.

Before this we had a great, if slightly discouraging, ride (so much for my plan from last week). She was feeling fresh and slightly naughty most likely because it's the first time I've ridden in about two weeks. She didn't do anything really bad but she was resistant and was really having trouble bending to the left. This is normal for her but she was completely ignoring my leg and in January I was starting to feel like she really had that figured out. She was getting so soft and nice and bendy so going back to stiff pony was tough for me. It's not like I can expect her to just maintain on two weeks off but still rough.

Tomorrow my plan is to finish clipping and either ride or lunge. I'd rather lunge her but last week I was having trouble getting her to bend to the left on the lunge and at least when I'm on her back I have more ability to enforce it so we'll see. Then on Wednesday she gets a well deserved break :)