Angel Naps Hard

 

Angel takes her naps pretty seriously.

Subtle Aids

I really like the idea of subtle aids. Angel can be pretty oblivious, no doubt because of my floppy seat and spastic legs. But I keep trying. I began to wonder if she noticed weight shifts at all. The other day I tried extreme weight shifts. I leaned way out to the left of the saddle, in danger of toppling on to the ground, and she came left with me! Toppling toward the right brought her right. It would cause palpitations in a dressage ring, but we wove our way down the road triumphantly, like a pair of drunken sailors. My plan is to reduce my lean and work toward the subtlety we are surely capable of.

Rounding her out

When I was looking for a horse, I was discussing breeds with a friend, and I said I knew I didn't want a Thoroughbred because they are boney and angular. It wasn't long before I took my first look at Angel and got all dreamy. I ended up having to buy her so I could sleep at night. Then I couldn't sleep at night after all because I would lie there planning our next session.
But she did get a little boney this fall, I don't know if we were covering more miles, or that the Safe Choice I was feeding her was insufficient. I switched her to Vintage Victory, and gave her more of it, and she has had lots of time off since the accident and since the ice has surrounded the barn for the last two weeks. I measured her with a tape last night, and she has gained about 40 pounds.

Snow in the morning

Back in the saddle!

Today we went out on the road, with M&S, and I rode for the first time since The Accident. We just walked, since there is snow everywhere, the footing is poor, my side is weak and twinge-y, and any number of other reasons. Angel was as calm as a fish. Even walking in the deeper snow by the roadside, which I think of as usually getting her pumped, she just forged along like an all-terrain horse. It was wonderful to be back up, I have visions of hunter paces and wonderful things. Of course, I must admit that it is easy for her to be calm with Skip the little Quarter Horse alongside.