[SmartAlex]

After a brief school indoors we went for a walk in the gorgeous sunshine and through the crusty snow which proved to me that I can neither ride a straight line nor a round circle. This snow needs to melt before my opinion of my training skills reaches an all time low!

[superD]

I have been out to work with my younger guy a few times this week. I think I am finally getting out of my slump!!!!

I let my retired boy run around the ring yesterday and he was sound!!! Even with out shoes!!! He has had so many problems with soundness and illnesses it crazy. He has been retired for a little over a year now.

[SmartAlex]

It was a beautiful, sunny day today and the ice and snow had receeded enough for us to get to the road. Yipee! Had a nice muddy hack. Shedding is beginning in earnest and despite a serious grooming session Thursday, nothing I could do today would make me, my horse, and my tack look clean all at once. White hairs everywhere! Thank goodness for coveralls.

Time to start thinking about building some simple jump standards and getting on with this riding thing.

[SmartAlex]

You know, I was going to stop posting on this thread because, well, today IS the last day of winter. But OMG will the snow never end?!?!?!

Back indoors again with sucky icey footing outside. My horse is fit enough that he is now working up ^ instead of working down the longer I ride him. Saturday, the neighbors were target shooting and he was obviously expecting an indian invasion at any moment. Fun stuff.

So we're back indoors working on our side pass. The key appears to be feeding him a peanut every time he does it well. He now looks for the pole so he can go show his stuff.

So, winter support group signing off. We will now need a "cold wet and muddy Spring" riding support group.

[Appsolute]

Okay, I wasn’t going to rub it in… but I am!

New barn has been a DREAM – footing has been great through all weather (which has been pretty dry – very riding friendly). I have been able to ride every day that I have time (about 5 days a week). Since the time change I have been able to go out on hacks after work.

Sunsets from horse back – as the sun dips below the pacific are pretty amazing!

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The switch of barns changed my winter riding from a cursing mud bog – to lovely facilities, and lots of riding.