Welcome to Paloma-Del-Spa!

" 'They' say mud does wonders for the coat. Can't you tell? "

I would apologize for my absence this week but mentally I was here with you all. The real issue laid in my inability to make coherent sentences, let alone make myself a cup of coffee. Yup, in my morning brain fried stooper this week I put chopped cheese in my coffee instead of in my dogs dish. The dog and cheese story is another issue I have been dealing with... my dog is afraid of her dish, thus the only way I can get her near it is to hide bits of her favourite snack, cheese. *eye roll*

This week, at work, we launched a completely new system and new set of rules and regulations and up until this point everything on how this system would operate and fit in to our daily work schedule was hypothetical. Even now as I question the wording on something I am merely met with a word for word reading of what I can already see. Best just to fumble through it yourself especially when half the program is in french.

I feel blessed that I was chosen to do the training for our office.... truly! :I

Besides work, riding has been a wonderful and timely release to my pent up frustrations and zooming neurons. Nothing better than the smell of cool air, leather and equines. *Deep breathe*

This week I met the beast. I should not have complained about losing my shoe in the mud sopped pasture last week, I should not have complained about the dirt dear pony dawned then. Clearly, by Paloma's angelic look she was meaning to have me stick my mud-ridden foot in my mouth. (see above, and below). 

She was quite pleased with herself.

I, did, however, bust out my trusty grooming flower and in a cloud of dust I curried for 40 minutes.

When I finally got to ride, we had a pretty great jump school.

I had set up a 2'9 airy vertical and fanned canter poles on a 25 meter(ish) circle. (ie jump at A, poles at C)

Planning to use this to show Paloma that once I set my canter, you have to keep it, that is your job and I do it this way for a reason. So you don't fall on your face....

Plus, I would have the added benefit of being able to work on my position and slowing/quieting my upper body over the fence. I have this nasty habit of jumping for Paloma when I think she is too lopey to make it over the fence. Though, I know now, that this is just her way of going and she will make it, if not a whole lot better when I get off her already long neck.

At first, I trotted through the exercise, asking Paloma to stretch out her stride over the poles to make the 10ft distance with a stride between, bend in the body without getting stiff, work on me being quiet AND get her haunches working as we trotted larger fences. 

Moving on to canter, we cantered through the poles a few times to set a good understanding of the rhythm I wanted her to maintain, then added the fence. 

Tracking right, our usually easier side, proved tough. Paloma would hesitate in her confidence over the canter pole fan, nothing large, just a blip and without proper management on my part we wouldn't hit the perfect distance. Likely because the interruption. We went back a few times, corrected it and took a break before changing directions. Despite the correction though, right never felt as smooth as left... 

Tracking left, our tougher direction, I expected little issues in our flat work to pop up but they didn't. *mind boggling...* Every time Paloma sauntered through the poles like nothing was there, locked onto the fence and took a great spot every time. It was refreshing!

In the end, I did get some time to work on me which I do think I need to concentrate more on, especially now that Paloma knows her job and I am confident she can get the job done, whether or not she needs to save my a** here and there :P. 

At least she doesn't rub my face in it anymore!