I knew it was going to be a jumping day because the flatwork went way too quickly. We trotted and cantered with changes of direction, and then she set up jump poles to trot across and then canter over! I did a little deep breathing, but everything was ok. And then we did a cross-rail, trotting and jumping again.

Timmy is a superstar! He has slowed down a bit and seems calm and happy in his work!

Well, I haven’t been posting much because lessons have been going pretty well. Up until yesterday, that is. It’s been super cold so I’ve been a lesson-cancelling fool. But yesterday wasn’t bad, so I got to the barn, gave Timmy a quick turnout, and then tacked up. All systems go, or at least I thought.

He seemed a little off at the walk, worse at the trot. A little bit of a shuffle step in the corners and a tiny bit of head bob were the main symptoms. The weird part was that it was so intermittent. He’d be all right for 1/3 of the way around the arena and then do a little shuffle and bob. Debbie felt his legs, chest, neck, and shoulders and said that she thought it was probably his shoulders and that I should come back tomorrow (actually today) for some light walking and trotting. And that he was probably going to need some DMSO — ick, that stuff is nasty — to bring blood flow to his injured muscles.

This morning she put the DMSO on after I tacked up. He seemed much better in the arena, though we only walked and trotted for 10 minutes or so. He was a tiny bit fresh and spooked at some pigeon cooing or some normal barn noise, and took off for 1/2 of the arena. He might have done that twice — can’t really remember. But he is obviously feeling much better. More walking and trotting tomorrow, maybe some cantering.

I’m just relieved it isn’t more serious.

Had a lesson today on Timmy, and that went pretty well, considering I haven’t ridden for almost three weeks. Oh yeah, and the last time I rode Timmy, we drifted a little to the left, he tripped, and he went down. Not much to do when there’s no horse under you. Oh well, these things happen.

And then after that I spent a few days in NYC for work, we had a consultant in for almost an entire week, and then it was super busy at work. So there was a long time between today’s lesson and the last one. It doesn’t look like the weather is going to cooperate next week, either. Debbie, our fearless leader, is going to Las Vegas next week, so I’ll be hacking on my own, weather permitting.

Today, I was a little “loose up top,” so there was no jumping, just flatwork. Sort of disappointing and relieving at the same time. Going to the gym would help that. We’ll see if I can make it.

I guess there’s not much time for the knitting update other than to say I’m almost done with the blown-out elbows on Amy’s sweater.

Rode Austin again today. (I have to get photographs of these guys!)

It’s been raining the past few days, so we rode indoors. We worked on the usual ring work but then also turning on the forehand, and then walking then trotting then cantering from that. Over and over. Then we cantered over a teeny tiny vertical. I enjoy this sort of riding, trying to be precise in how to ask for desired results. It keeps my mind busy, I guess.

I might try blogging a little about my riding lessons as a way to remember their details and sort of organize them in my head.

Yesterday, I rode Austin. Deanna was up visiting and rode her horse, Hills-B (is that the spelling?). Anyway, she is an advanced jumper rider who has been riding for 32 years, and I am a chicken adult recovering from a recent concussion, so it was helpful to watch someone else ride.

The sequence:

• walking, then trotting in both directions
• two-point at the trot
• sitting trot without stirrups
• cantering both directions
• jumping a little cross rail (trot in and canter out), stopping straight after the jump.

And here is what I need to do to improve: Sit up! Austin hates the body-ride (his previous owner made him lame by body-riding for years). And also, I need to be more serious and focus, and not just try to laze my way through things.

Also edited to say I need to ride with my legs and not my hands. The horses love it when you steer with your legs! Go figure.

A gal on the knitlist posted this wonderful knitting chant to help beginning knitters learn the basics:

STAB IT!
CHOKE IT!
THROW IT AWAY!

It would be perfect on a t-shirt.

Yeah, I am the laziest blogger ever.

Day 6 in Tucson, hanging out with my mom and her big sis.

Here’s a rundown of activities for the week:
Sunday - Took a walk,
Monday - What did we do? I worked on the sock for gram for mother’s day. Ran the loop in the evening — it was super hot. Other than that, the day is a blur.
Tuesday - Lunch out at Terracotta and grocery shopping.
Wednesday - Drove out to Purls in search of yellow Koigu KPM — no luck. Typical small yarn store vibe there — not super friendly, but the workers did make an effort to find out what I was looking for, so it would be bad form to complain.
Thursday - Out for lunch again, this time at Bluefin in the Encantada mall. Had a mojito that was the best!
Friday (today) - I guess the plan is Trader Joe’s and then lunch out again! I’ll be running tonight.

Yeah, a post every few days isn’t that interesting, but I haven’t quite integrated blogging into my life yet.

Not Jetty’s old rag of a Moosie, but a new drop spindle from the kind folks at Journeywheel. It’s lovely and made from moose antler; the shaft is tulipwood — very pretty!

And this is Jetty with his Moosie.