I had a really good lesson today. I feel like I'm really making quick progress after the five year hiatus, and I have a sneaking suspicion that I'm going to come out of it better than I had been. I haven't put this much thought into riding in a long time- when one gets reasonably accomplished at something, one tends to slack on expanding one's skill level. Now I'm having to think everything through again and concentrate twice as hard, and it's awesome. Fi is so much fun to ride, too; she's very honest, works hard, and is very quick to capitalize when I slip up. ("Oh, you want me to go straight? Well, you're not, so why should I?") She's a lovely mover, which helps, and looks nice under saddle- showing in the Spring should be a lot of fun. She's apparently reasonably well-behaved away from home, although while you're not actually working her she apparently stares a lot looking for a likely item to spook at. Honestly, I'm not bothered- after Cam, that should be a breeze. We'll have all winter to work on jumping basics, too, and perhaps by the end of the summer we'll be ready to do a little event. I don't think she's been evented before, so that will make a fun goal.

Interestingly, while I'm used to my back giving out after a while, today it did fine (well, fine being a relative term; it hurt, but at least I didn't feel like I'd lost an inch in height) while my left ankle mysteriously decided to give instead. I'm not sure why; they're tricksy sometimes, but I don't have any prior injuries there the way I do with my back. Weird. I'm thinking of taking up a little yoga, to try and get some flexibility back; I'm not massively stiff, but it takes more effort than I would like to be able to keep my feet in place and lay back until my head is on her rump. (And don't even ask about touching opposite toes without stirrups...)

I guess the important part is that I'm having a great time with her.



(Heh- there's my hand slipping forward again. I give forward a little more than necessary and then end up losing the contact. Something to work on...)