What, a New Year? Again? Didn't We Just Have One Last Year?
The Holiday Black Hole has retreated toward the center of the galaxy again. The first Camp Lipizzan of the year has come and gone--and the Pooka Fan Club has gained another devoted member, and Camp has gained another repeat Camper (and guest and rider--she and keed bonded big time).
Holidays were Hectic as always. Much partying and visiting and eating of zomg awesome food. Horses got a break, which they did not all appreciate. I got a break, which I appreciated very much indeed. The family got together and got me a NookColor, which is a very fine machine, and will get much use once the dying DSL modem stops cutting out before I can get anything downloaded. Next week. Pinky swear. It does have Mark Twain's unexpurgated autobiography on it, with some other delights.
We did not get snow that stuck, which was a disappointment, though we had an hour of rather pretty snowfall. We did get several hard freezes in a row, which hasn't happened in a few years. The barn petunia, already defying its "annual" status by having survived since September of 2009, is bravely putting out new leaves already. The citrus is frostbitten but a freeze makes grapefruit sweeter. The horses had blankets for the coldest nights, and Pooka (of course) was double-bagged, and all managed to eat, drink, and continue as before.
Gabriella, otherwise known as Lipizzan Number Nine, has settled in beautifully. We had a massage session with S on Tuesday, and she was pronounced sound, sane, and ready to ride. She also, in the course of the session, gained six inches of neck. "Now with 20% more neck!" Lots of tension had got knotted up there. Her new bridle should be in the PO when I go over tomorrow; then we'll see about a saddle. Praying the XW Thornhill fits. She's another tabletop, with an extra-wide spinal process. Which daughter Ephiny inherited, and the saddle fits her, so...
Meanwhile I get the Laser Stare when I come out to ride somebody else. UH-oh.
Must remind self that this is the mother of Tia the Self-Training Lipizzan. Tia comes by it honestly.
Pooka has been studying his dressage over break. Part of the homework from December's lesson has been a lot of transitions, straight, with collection. He gets those. He is, after all, a Collectamatic. So from a nice halt to walk, when I asked for a trot, he sat back and lofted into the most beautiful canter. Felt like riding a soap bubble.
Moments like this are why I keep trying. Hoping to make them default mode.
This year I hope we can finally get all three gaits set in solid. Some of what I got from the Gabriella session was how important straightness is--and how it should look and feel. Another puzzle piece, a very important one. Pooka is a horse who can't just fling himself around or figure things out by trial and error. Never has been. Must be correct, and focused, and clear on the concept, from the start.
But, I also have to stop getting all goal-oriented. The harder I try, the more desperately I want, the more I get in my own way. Lessons I've learned from horse yoga. And from Camilla. If I want her to pay attention to me, she tells me to eff off. If I don't even try, she's nonstop in my face. (Which is also a big key to riding her. She has a crippling case of the Wants-Too-Much, too.)
So, a good start to what I hope is an excellent year. Lots of horses, Camp, and what I hope is 'way more fiction (and maybe even, who knows, some more sales). Happy New Year, everyone. And Hoppy Gnu Ears, too, if that's your denomination.
Holidays were Hectic as always. Much partying and visiting and eating of zomg awesome food. Horses got a break, which they did not all appreciate. I got a break, which I appreciated very much indeed. The family got together and got me a NookColor, which is a very fine machine, and will get much use once the dying DSL modem stops cutting out before I can get anything downloaded. Next week. Pinky swear. It does have Mark Twain's unexpurgated autobiography on it, with some other delights.
We did not get snow that stuck, which was a disappointment, though we had an hour of rather pretty snowfall. We did get several hard freezes in a row, which hasn't happened in a few years. The barn petunia, already defying its "annual" status by having survived since September of 2009, is bravely putting out new leaves already. The citrus is frostbitten but a freeze makes grapefruit sweeter. The horses had blankets for the coldest nights, and Pooka (of course) was double-bagged, and all managed to eat, drink, and continue as before.
Gabriella, otherwise known as Lipizzan Number Nine, has settled in beautifully. We had a massage session with S on Tuesday, and she was pronounced sound, sane, and ready to ride. She also, in the course of the session, gained six inches of neck. "Now with 20% more neck!" Lots of tension had got knotted up there. Her new bridle should be in the PO when I go over tomorrow; then we'll see about a saddle. Praying the XW Thornhill fits. She's another tabletop, with an extra-wide spinal process. Which daughter Ephiny inherited, and the saddle fits her, so...
Meanwhile I get the Laser Stare when I come out to ride somebody else. UH-oh.
Must remind self that this is the mother of Tia the Self-Training Lipizzan. Tia comes by it honestly.
Pooka has been studying his dressage over break. Part of the homework from December's lesson has been a lot of transitions, straight, with collection. He gets those. He is, after all, a Collectamatic. So from a nice halt to walk, when I asked for a trot, he sat back and lofted into the most beautiful canter. Felt like riding a soap bubble.
Moments like this are why I keep trying. Hoping to make them default mode.
This year I hope we can finally get all three gaits set in solid. Some of what I got from the Gabriella session was how important straightness is--and how it should look and feel. Another puzzle piece, a very important one. Pooka is a horse who can't just fling himself around or figure things out by trial and error. Never has been. Must be correct, and focused, and clear on the concept, from the start.
But, I also have to stop getting all goal-oriented. The harder I try, the more desperately I want, the more I get in my own way. Lessons I've learned from horse yoga. And from Camilla. If I want her to pay attention to me, she tells me to eff off. If I don't even try, she's nonstop in my face. (Which is also a big key to riding her. She has a crippling case of the Wants-Too-Much, too.)
So, a good start to what I hope is an excellent year. Lots of horses, Camp, and what I hope is 'way more fiction (and maybe even, who knows, some more sales). Happy New Year, everyone. And Hoppy Gnu Ears, too, if that's your denomination.
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