Rain, Rain, Go Away!

I'm thinking it's about time to start to build an ark.  The rain has not let up here in beautiful Ohio.  The pastures and turn outs are awash in mud and manure- the horses are mud pies.  If I didn't have my indoor arena to ride in I'd go crazy.  As it is, I have been able to ride throughout this rainy period.  Montana is starting to get more fit- as am I.  I had a small setback in my own fitness regimen- I broke my toe last week.  I got up in the morning, all motivated to go for a run.  I walked through the bedroom in the dark (it was 5:00a.m.) and walked right into the ottoman.  I actually heard a crack and saw stars when I my little toe gave way.  My husband, who was still in bed, chuckled under the covers when he heard me let loose with a string of expletives that would make George Carlin proud.  So there went my early morning run.  The broken toe did not keep me from riding that night- but my ride was cut a little short by the throbbing pain in my riding boot.  I did take advantage of the situation to concentrate on upper body exercises until I'm able to hit the floor running again.

My rides on Montana have been very positive.  After our wonderful jump school, I switched to the dressage saddle and snaffle bridle ( I usually jump her in the pelham) and I found that I had a light and balanced horse under me.  She was wonderful in the exercise we had so much trouble with last year- the spiral in and out at the trot.  No falling on the outside shoulder- just nice and steady, keeping the bend as we spiral in and then out.  Last night I threw in the oval exercise- it's an exercise where I ask for a stretched out ground covering trot on the long side, and then ask her to come back to me quite a bit as we come onto the short end while cutting off the corner, half halting, half halting , half halting, then bending to turn onto the long side and asking again for the long stretched out trot, and repeating as she gets lighter and lighter.  By the end of the ride, Montana was lighter in my hands, with alot more engagement from the hind end.  She was a tired girl though.  We did a few leg yields at the walk, and a nice cool out- we ventured outside and walked around the pasture in the dark, before the rain started.

I can't wait to get home tonight and see my newly dragged and watered arena.  I hired a friend to rake it out and make it pretty for me- you know the feeling when you walk onto a freshly dragged arena- I think it makes me ride better!  I also think new riding breeches make me ride better, and new gloves, and new boots, and well, you get the idea.  I like new things.  They make me ride better!