It's That Time of Year

I am entering into the time of year that work gets busy. In a little over a week I start 6 weeks of working nights (as in overnights), and for most of that time I'll be working 6 nights a week. So the ponies are about to get a 6 week vacation. Not that they've worked hard as of late. When working nights all I do is sleep, do laundry, and try to occasionally pick up some groceries. And of course, work. Ponies fall by the wayside.

I'm hoping to get a few more rides in before starting my new schedule. But it's not looking too good. I have 3 days this week that I can't ride due to work. And honestly, it's frikkin' cold out. The weather has been well below average, and nights have been in the low minus-teens. I'm a wuss when it comes to cold, and it doesn't take much to convince myself to stay on the couch underneath the heated blanket. And it doesn't look like it's going to warm up anytime soon.

Why???? It's too early for this weather!

But I made it out on Sunday! In between teaching in the morning, and having to go into work in the evening. I had a whole two hours to spend at the barn.

There was a clinic on at the barn so I couldn't do much with the kids. I watched the clinic for an hour and a half - looked to be the standard basics - don't pick at your horse, ride your line, use your eye to find your line. I did like this exercise in the warm-up - trot poles on a straight line, canter a circle, come back to trot right at the poles, pick up the canter right after. start the circle at 20 m and make each circle smaller aiming for 10 m. I'll be trying this one.

I brought Phantom in and put the proper liner in her Rambo Duo. That was all for her.

Cisco was toasty in the blanket that he was wearing, so I left him out. He walked all the way across the paddock to say hi to me, so I had to give him some snuggles. When I went out later to catch Phantom he was involved in a pretty good game of bitey face over the fence with another gelding. I missed getting video of when he turned to look at me and his playmate grabbed Cisco's blanket by the wither and yanked on it. Thankfully his suit of armor is working as I hoped it would.

Hopefully I will have a proper ride review tomorrow!