Riding in the rain

I love the PNW in the summer. What I hate is when we get a taste of summer for a few days, and then it goes back to 55 degrees and drizzle. Boo.

Tonight I had a lesson with the owner of GWB. She hasn't seen me ride Vera in a few weeks. I sort of wanted to show her what we've learned. I am still saddleless, but a friend of mine was out and is letting me borrow her Custom VLX, so that is some stress off of me. It is a 17.5, so it doesn't quite fit, but it's close. I spent yesterday sitting in every saddle I could get my hands on in both local tack shops. Fail. I give up for now.

Vera spent her time in the cross ties pressing her butt up to the bars of my friend's over opinionated large red mare. It totally pissed off the Giant Red Mare, and Vera stood there, with a I swear a smile on her face. I laughed so hard at her.

We were 15 seconds late for our lesson. Opps. So much for getting there early. I ran into a few friends while we were walking to the arena.  Positives about having a barn full of friends. Negative of having to walk 200 yards to the arena.

We did a lot of walk/trot, walk/canter, transitions. I totally suck at keeping steady contact with the inside rein, and I have developed a horrible habit of opening my hands up, and dropping contact. Vera tried the llama neck a few times, and it was the first time since pre-accident, that it made me mad and not scared. She was a bit lazy and so we worked on going forward without me constantly harping on her. More discussions than normal, but I think it was because I was making her work harder than normal.

At one point my I made a comment about buying Vera from her owner in cupcakes. My trainer laughed and said she's a great horse for me now, but that I will quickly outgrow her abilities. I had to laugh. I'm glad she has enough faith in my that I will actually improve and advance. I don't know what I want to do riding wise right now. I love dressage, but I don't know if I want to compete with "the big girls" (as I say to my friends.) I think I'd be perfectly happy having a horse to just enjoy spending time with. We'll see. I'm going to keep leasing and perfect my cupcake making skills just in case. It sounds like no one has been inquiring about her and since she's leased out, and getting regular work, no one is worried about it. Wheww...

Our ride ended with some nice transitions and I called it a day a few minutes early. She was doing so well, and I wanted her to remember that bending and turning = breaks. Plus, a friend of mine was bringing her fire breathing horse in to lunge. I'll have to take a video. I forgot what it was like to have confidence.

I took Vera up to the barn to "get undressed" and she did her normal, poop in the aisle way. Sadly, it's been a bit runny, and even sadder? My tack box was sitting right next to her. Now I have a poop colored tack box which I was too tired to tackle. (Tired = grossed out.)

I love my barn and I love Vera!