Excellent weekend

I really do not want to go back to work tomorrow.

Saturday was a great day skiing in the mountains.  Did 12+ runs, several black diamonds which is new for me, and we had really great snow conditions most of the day.  The weather was kind of nuts with alternating blue skies and snow squalls with zero visibility and high winds.  But that kept the snow great and kept us out skiing.

Which is all horse relevant, because I skiied so hard,  I kind of overdid it and was hurting for my lesson today.  We managed to have a great one anyways!

Not from today, but cute.
Hi hand, whatca doing in my lap?

It was a great day for a ride, sunny and warm.  We had our first outdoor lesson and Fawkes was feeling good.  The lesson itself was great because I am starting to not hear the same things from my trainer.

While she still has to remind me of some things (carry your hands, keep your knee bent, support yourself and get off his back), I am getting more new items and less repeats already.  We are getting into more detailed improvements while jumping small courses.

Today was an outside 4 stride line, to a single fence on the other outside line, to single fences across the diagonals.  The second fence in the line was a 2'6" oxer and the rest were 2'3"ish verticals.  This is currently where Fawkes and me (ok, mostly me) are most comfortable although we can go up to 3' before I start re-thinking my life's choices.

Primary take-aways were to use outside rein and leg to straighten him to the fences, not so much inside rein and my heel.  Princess horse objects to heels touching him.

There is also one end of the outdoor that tends to be spooky so for that end, we halted while facing it, then walked through it.  Did that a few times, then instead of halting we just came down to the walk.  Then the trot.  And finally, he cantered straight through quietly.  Woot!

Perfect horse was perfect- hit all his changes, got great distances, didn't look at anything and only got snippy when I made mistakes.

After riding, took the dogs to the huge dog park where J & I got sun burnt and they ran around like crazy and got filthy.  They are now looking a little sad post-bath, while I enjoy a beer and hope tomorrow is Sunday all over again.