Beating the Winter Blues with Kim

Our recent Kim Severson clinic was a huge success for those who braved the frigid temperatures! After (during?) a particularly brutal winter, all the horses had their share of cobwebs, but Kim came in like a tornado of knowledge to sweep them away, making all the horse and rider combinations better for it! For myself, it was the uncomfortable realization of how much I let my mare "get away with." I point her at the jump, she jumps it, no questions asked. But when Kim made me sit up and take charge of the situation, Zahra found this new power structure very off-putting, and made her opinion known to all! Kim makes every rider, regardless of their level, accountable for their ride. We saw it in the ground pole class, where she demanded straight lines and even tempo, all the way up to the Preliminary group, where flying lead changes were executed riding forward and on the mark. Since the clinic, I have been diligent to make sure I am being accountable in my riding. Between that and letting Z get a breezer in the snow last week, we're becoming a much happier partnership!

My little Puck was my star of the weekend, bravely joining the baby group despite only being on his 4th ride. I would have been happy if he just walked around quietly, but he did so much more!! We did our first canters each direction, and trotted (and jumped!) some poles on the ground. What a rock star!!

Spring Training

The spring itch has begun. The pros are down in Area III, showing already (*jealous*), but here in Wisco, it's finally climbed above 10 degrees!! Alright, game time!! After the season ended last October, I slowly brought Zahra down through November, finally giving her time off early in December. Then there were snowstorms. Then holidays. Then subzero temperatures. Then more snowstorms. Now, though it's time to get fit, snow be damned! First show is only 4 weeks away, time to put the pedal to the metal!

It was over 100 degrees that day... I need some of that!!