Long Time.... No Post!

Sorry it has been so long since I have posted to my blog! I have been trying to ride at 0' dark-thirty in the mornings... and that, along with motherhood has definitely left me with little time and energy for posting updates! :)

Let me see... where to begin? Well, Miss Tokaj has had the dust groomed off her saddle patch and has been an absolute ANGEL for having been off work for many months. We are mainly working on both of our fitness levels. I have ventured into the jumping saddle too. Wow, that used to be my home! Now it feels so foreign. Did I really ride with that short of stirrup? I am definitely more comfortable in my dressage saddle. So, basically since eventing is 2/3 jumping, I will be doing far more time in the jumping saddle this winter. I am still hoping to attend some of the Fort Leavenworth Hunt Club outings this year, but need to get in much better condition for that. It is definitely not for the unfit or faint of spirit!

The arena is riding really well. The footing may be a tad deep in places, but I recently acquired a springtooth rake to redistribute some of the depth. It is holding up just great with the rainfall we have had. Now I am envisioning a course of really beautiful fences out there this Spring... of course "someone" (me and perhaps my husband with some bribes) needs to paint and build jumps first.

I have ridden Savannah some more. She is very unimpressed with the whole riding thing. She turns her head to the side, cocks an ear at me like, "What? Like this is a big deal? Sit there all you want!". She is looking more and more like she is going to make a great all around horse, and a future schoolmaster for my son! She is now learning to go forward, stop, turn, and back up. She is a lot of fun.

The bad news is that winter is rolling back in. Wasn't it just here a few weeks ago? I have had one morning of riding in the twenties. And this is only NOVEMBER. We will see how it goes. The time has changed and I am riding in the darkness... well, I have lights on the arena, but there are lots of shadows. It is not like stadium lighting by any means. It is somewhat disorienting to ride in the semi-darkness too. I am not complaining though. When I force myself out into the cold for a morning training session... the rest of the day goes much better. It is rather like exercise in that you hate to get up and do it, but when you do you feel a million bucks all day.

Happy Riding!
P~