Progress?

My trainer isn’t the kind of person who gives much in the way of feedback except on details of the task. I hear a lot about hand position, keeping quiet hands, leg position, posture, short neck v. collection, getting him in front of my leg, and other riding tips and also I hear when it isn’t right, or when it is better. This is all delivered in a pleasant voice, kind of like having an ongoing verbal feedback system without any harsh reproof. Just the way I wish my own internal voice would be. But also, there isn’t a lot of excitement when I get it right.

Instead I get occasional offhanded comments like “Up until now you’ve just been a passenger on your horse,” or “As I tell all my beginners. . .” So I know that even though I am progressing, the actual pace of improvement is slow. I’ve been riding three years now. In the middle of last summer she commented that I was now intermediate, and sometimes she says she wishes she had a video of me as I was riding at first so I could see that I have come a long way. But she’s just kind of low key and friendly, but not excited in any way. And I keep having the same issues: lack of impulsion, reluctance to canter, crookedness, resistance to softening.

A couple of weeks ago she commented that “You still have about a year to go with this horse,” by which she meant that by spring of next year Champagne would have taught me everything I can learn from him and it will be time to move on to a different one. ‘Course he’s the WBH, and I can’t imagine selling him, but she said, “They aren’t pets, and if you didn’t sell him you’d be depriving someone else of the advantage of learning from him.” Okay, that’s a whole other issue.

At this week’s lesson, though, she commented that “You really look as if you know what you’re doing,” and “By spring you’ll be ready to ride test level 1.” Really? Me? And more to the point, Champagne? Coming from my trainer, that’s actual praise. So I’m feeling fairly happy despite: the continuing flood and snow this morning and significant rain forecast for Monday; all the house fixing-up issues that are on hold because of the flood; Ken’s level of stress about the house and his father; and my general fatigue due to my own level of stress.

For the birds

Huge, evil sparrows have begun to nest in the rafters of the indoor at the barn, just as they do every year.

These gigantic birds have begun to terrorize the horses by twittering, fluttering at the windows, and taking dust baths on the floor. Shock and awe. Massive spooks!

How can we survive the looming sparrow menace!?!