Catching Up

Since my last post about a month ago, there have been some big changes.  I left my job in the field of social services and returned to school (first day was today).  I am studying to be a dental hygienist.  While it's certainly a departure from my previous career path(s), I am excited about this new direction and the advantages that it offers.  Balancing a full time job, backyard horse farm, riding/showing, and a nearly full-time autocross career was simply too much.  Life's too short to be perpetually stressed out, especially when the things you supposedly do for fun and enjoyment become a burden as a result.  DH offers steady employment, part time hours, great pay, and the ability to find employment nearly anywhere and there's no selling things or working oddball hours. 

Now that I am back to the carefree college student lifestyle (Ok, that's not really true since I still have plenty of adult responsibilities and obligations.  But it sure is fun to pretend that's the case.) I have made an effort to put Larry on a more regular schedule.  I have been riding or lunging him 3-5 days a week for the last couple weeks and it seems to be paying off.  The swearing has gone from shouting to more mumbling under one's breath (for both of us) and he is starting to figure out that agreeable horses don't have to work as hard or as long as obstinate ones.  I'm not going to declare him "cured" of his stubborn streak yet, but I can almost feel him thinking about acting up under saddle sometimes and then deciding against it.  We're still doing pretty basic stuff, but he's finally showing me more consistency.  We're still lunging a lot, too, as it seems to be the only way he'll canter and I want to build his coordination and stamina.  Earlier this week, he even picked up the canter promptly on the lunge line with just a verbal command, though he wasn't able to hold it very long.  I hope to try a few more shows with him in the near future as my new life settles into a more predictable schedule.  At this point, I don't think that the national show in NJ is in the cards this year.  J doesn't have enough vacation time left and I'm not ready to haul two horses clear across the country if I can't be 100% certain they will behave.  I am optimistic that we can gain some experience at the local level and try for it next year.  Ok, crossing my fingers and hoping I haven't jinxed our progress!  More news to follow.