Finding something old and somethings new

I discovered something we had lost today. Or specifically something that I had forgotten I knew apparently. For months now I have been working only in the sitting trot. I know, I keep a log, last posting trot - December 5th, 2010.

Today, after I mounted looked a little like this:

Me: Walk on
Vashti: OKAY!
Me: Trot
Vashti: CANTER!
Me: While that was a great, soft transition with a beautiful canter, I would like to trot.
Vashti: NOPE! CANTER!

Somewhere in all of this, as we cantered first right, then left, I discovered something. I was giving leg cues at the canter. Now maybe I learned to ride too late in life or am still too green, as it were, after only 8 years of riding, but I have not ever been able to get my body to respond quick enough to give good leg cues at the canter. In order to push Vashti to the rail while cantering, I rely on my reins. About 10 minutes into our cantering spectacular today, I realized, I was moving her on and off the rail with my legs! I was thrilled! I have finally coordinated my body at speed! For today's ride anyway.

In moving her on and off the rail with my legs I made another discovery - I finally felt what inside leg to outside rein should be. It just clicked. And it made keeping her on the rail so much easier! It felt fluid, a simple inside leg on, pulse, and feel the "wall" made by the outside rein. We were straight. We were together. We were light and airy.

And that is when I found my long, lost posting trot. Asking for the trot for about the 20th time, only to hear "CANTER" from my horse, I performed a quick half-halt (which she tried to ignore for the 21st time) and started posting. She still cantered off a few strides later, from the posting trot, but all of sudden it started to come back to me. I can post! Yes, we ride western, but any discipline should be able to post.

Armed with this lost ability, we slowly began to stop cantering and just trot. Granted it was a fast trot, but that's where posting comes in. So I found one lost skill and gained two new ones. Not a bad day at all.

Winter updates

Plagued with injuries, I finally procure a ride to the barn by super-hubby, who gets Vashti out of the pasture and puts her in the cross-ties. As I get the grooming box, Vashti is busy nuzzling Bill.
Vashti: Hey Dad, got any treats?

As Bill walks off to explore, Vashti leans forward into the cross-ties - "Bring Back Peppermints!"

Me: Hi
Vashti: mmmm, he better not forget the peppermints...
Me: Hi Honey
Vashti: (throwing a glance my way) Um, hi there.
Me: Boy, I missed you! Lets get a good grooming session in, you must need a good scruffing
Vashti: (disinterested and straining to see Bill) Whatever you say random lady
Me: What? I'm not some random lady!
Vashti: Ok, random lady
Me: I have NOT been gone that long
Vashti: Where's Dad?
Me: (sighing) He'll be back
Vashti: I want Dad NOW!
Me: What? Why?
Vashti: I'm not comfortable with you. You're, well, you're making me nervous being new and all....... (muttering) random lady
Me: I AM NOT A RANDOM LADY

Bill appears from around a corner..

Vashti: DAD! DAD! Take away this person and give me treats!
Me: You are never this excited to see Dad...
Vashti: How would you know random lady??

And so my return to the barn was met with much interest.

It's been a long winter

Really long. Really, really, REALLY long.

• We got a lot of snow
• I got a nasty cold
• We got a lot more snow
• The barn where Vashti lived had its indoor arena collapse under the snow
• We got even more snow
• We moved Vashti to new digs, complete with outdoor board and an indoor ring
• There was snow
• I injured my hand (and baffled doctors)
• I fell and injured my knee

Yup, its been long.