Hey Grouchy! Just Go For A Ride, Already!

Today was one of those days where it just felt like the world had a grudge against me. I haven't been feeling quite myself for a little while and today I just wanted to hide in bed, catch up on sleep, and eat about 10lbs of chocolate. So, of course I got up and went to work :) Seriously, though I'm feeling so done with working all the time and not having a real life :(

At any rate, after getting through the day, Plan A (the sleeping/chocolate/hiding in bed one) still seemed like a really great idea. Especially when my train was late, and time was getting really tight to make it to the barn. The stubborn side of me luckily came out at the last minute I got seriously determined to get to the barn - past experience reminded me how much I would hate myself later for missing a lesson. Of course then I got stuck in traffic for half an hour....

Once at the barn, the big surprise was I was assigned Splash again. I'm starting  to get a bit of a complex - I seem to never have the same horse twice! Am I such a terrible rider the horses all have to take turns? :)

 In reality, I think there are a few horses at the barn with off and on soundness issues, and a few more who don't jump overly high, and a few more who are kid size, a few more who are super safe and slow for the more beginner riders...etc etc. It seems to be a process of elimination - whoever is left over is my ride!

Splash is actually a good guy, you might remember him from a lesson I had a few weeks ago:

So cute

 He's a small (15hh or so) drafty type guy who is a little funny to ride. He's the one likes to hide behind your leg and also do that awful head-in-the-air inverted joggy trot thing if you let him, then get "spooky" and try to scoot. I would not be surprised to hear he was a bolter in a previous life. He wears a standing martingale for obvious reasons. He's pretty sensitive and can be fun but the behind the leg thing drives me a little nuts. Both times I've ridden, he's way better by the end of the lesson, but the beginning is painful. Not my favorite, and the trainer brain in me would love to see if he can be sorted out with some consistency. For now, at least he's cute :)

We had a fun little course to end off with - Wednesdays I end up with more advanced riders, so this time I went last with the jumps lowered a bit. It went really well - the course was a bit tricky with some interesting turns to a skinny, a corner, and a combination with three one strides in a row. Super fun because the jumps were smaller and less intimidating to me, but I had to be 'on' and plan well ahead to make the turns and lines.

All in all, SO happy I convinced myself to get out and ride - my day is totally redeemed.

Except then I went outside and saw this. Yes, it snowed during my lesson. Apparently the world still has a grudge against Alberta, at least :)