Not Too Late for a Big Success in 2024

The year isn't over yet! I plowed a path throughout the field so I have somewhere to drive that isn't too deep for the littles' legs. Hadn't had the opportunity to try it out until yesterday. Well, Falcor met me at the gate and was happy to go around. This time, I didn't even lunge him, I just took him for a walk in the middle of harnessing and that was enough. Once given the ok to go, he walked calmly up the driveway and out to the field. He did ask to trot and I gave him the cue. Happy boy set off down the path and around the corner. I've been playing with the thought of asking him to canter in harness and starting to school it, so when he offered to canter, I wasn't disappointed. However, I was cautious because he often bucks on the lunge when he canters, so I wasn't quite sure what was going to be offered pulling the sleigh. I also noticed that I neglected to buckle his left bucking strap around the shaft!! So he cantered for 8 - 10 strides nicely and came back to a trot without issue when I asked. Falcor enjoyed the trip around the field and made no complaints when I turned him around to loop again in the opposite direction. This time, when we came to a nice, long straight away, I told him he could canter if he wanted to, and he was glad to oblige. This time he cantered for longer, a very happy, forward, balanced and relaxed canter. Just pure joy of moving out in a big space, not any feeling of running away or tension, no tail over his back or snorting, just a happy pony feeling great. And we cantered a lot further the second time. I wasn't concerned about which lead he was on; I might have schooled it more deliberately if I'd had the second loop of the bucking strap done up, for my own mental security, but I just wanted to see how he felt about it. I love that he is feeling so good in his body that he's willing to try moving in different ways in his work. It's such a win!

16 months ago, when I first brought him home, this was little more than an aspiration I dared to dream. Well, I was committed to learning him and put the time into doing, even when I was not confident and felt like the pony might leave with me, and it's absolutely paid off. We have a lot of trust in eachother now and I'm excited for the future. Bring on 2025! And Happy Horseing!

Planning Ahead

I'm a planner. Not like a list maker, but a planner. I've found that I really like having events lined up to look forward to. This time of year is a bit ho-hum for me because I haven't got anything really exciting coming up to look forward to for several months. Yes, Christmas, time with the family and getting to slow down a bit is lovely, but I really enjoy going out and doing the activities with the horses (ponies/donkey) and my crew. The next thing on the list is Horse Expo in Red Deer in April, after the long-lining clinic. An excellent way to start the show season and I'm looking forward to it. But that's in April... it's December... Seasonal affect is a real thing! So what's the longer picture? Last year I had a goal of participating in Falcor's first combined driving event and we did that! He's come along so well and I'm more and more confident with him. Jasmine and Phillippe are just rockstars to have out as well. This year we'll drive again. With Ritchie home, we'll breed a couple of the mares. While Special's doing the mom thing, Ali can be driving - or may be too busy working by then. But after breeding season, it's time for me to get back in the tack. My health has improved greatly and stabilized. My horse is home. It's time to ride. I reached out to a friendly aquaintence last weekend, asked if I could come hang out at the barn with her, see if I could get the bug to ride. She's super cool, a Saskie, like me. And it was awesome to just hang out, talk horses, talk life (we're both 40-something) kids, etc. By the end of the visit, I felt like I wanted to go home, put my horse in the trailer, and bring him over to ride together. That's what I was wondering if I could find again, and it absolutely found me! So my game plan is to ride at home in between driving, get my body back into it, and then see what kind of fun we can get into in the fall next year. I'm not going to make a goal of showing FEI or what have you, I just want to have fun. Because isn't that the point anyways? With that, I wish you the merriest of merries, good health and all the joy you can handle. I wish you good fortune and welcome that same goodness to my own home and world. And, of course, happy horseing!