To Those Who Believe the Earth is Round.

Yes, this is actually a real photo. It was a Hollywood show of yester-year.

I have news for those said people, it is still possible to fall off the face of the Earth. Well, the Blogger-sphere at the very least, which is most definitely not spherical!

No excuses, aside from not wanting to look at a computer or keyboard when I leave my scheduled 40-hour workweek. Normally, within those 40 hours I can usually find ten minutes to peruse and post. But lately, with the recent company amalgamation, time is a virtue that I am currently not graced with.


There has also been so little happening in my equine world that nothing screams, 'share me now!' or overly interesting. I figured I would lose more readers by sharing than not, :P.
On the bright side, the knee deep boot stealing and vertically challenging mud is beginning to dry up and Paloma is starting to get back to her regular self.
Paloma, the diva she is, is finally moving in her paddock again rather than parking in the shelter with 'I am a martyr' written all over her face.
Aside from making me feel like a horrible horse mama for not ensuring a perfectly groomed and sodded paddock, Paloma was actually pretty stiff to ride until recently. I mean, who can blame her when the mud refuses to dry and rather freezes at night leaving seriously rough terrain to maneuver through.
Mud softened hooves and rock hard footing just don't mix. Result? Voluntary Immobile equine.

Alas. Paddocks are now drying and Paloma is back to roaming which equates to happiness for everyone.


On the actual riding front, jumping has been put on the back burner until we can get back outside. I realized I am just not doing Paloma any benefit by pushing her to make distances when the arena is just TOO small for any real jumping efforts. The rate of difficulty is just not something she is scopey enough to cope with... confidently. Even though she does it if I ask, I feel her confidence waning. Not fair.

Taking a 180 here, I have actually begun to realize Paloma's flair for dressage. Something she has been trying to tell me a long time but I refused to hear.
Why would a dressage bred mare prefer dressage... pft!?
With me finally in tune, we are now schooling second level movements without difficulty. However, our strength to maintain the outline and movements slip now and again. Often calling for brief breaks to stretch out the growing and straining muscles.
In all though, I can sense Paloma's happiness with the questions that are asked in dressage. The tougher movements require her brain and I have always said, 'if you can engage Paloma's brain, you are in for a great ride'.

Consequently. I am noticing a change in Paloma's way of going with special emphasis on her flying changes. Twenty, maybe thirty percent of the time, she is shortening herself and 'skipping' into her change rather than the flat framed hunter swap she was born with. The new change maintains her more uphill balance after the swap, making my job that much easier.
Some may wonder why this subtle change would trigger the light bulb moment for me... but this is a huge telltale sign that my now EIGHT *sheds tear for Paloma's birthday this past April 17th*, year old mare who loves to stretch down and out is starting to truly shift her point of balance and become stronger.

It means... I am doing SOMETHING right!!