It’s been quiet around here lately.. not too much to blog about.  Work is keeping me busy, we’re done with serious pony-conditioning for the year, sometime soon the rain will start and winter-mode will kick in.

For now, we’re doing shorter rides.  The evenings are getting shorter.  I’m having fun playing with speed work and sprints rather than rehashing the same trail loop three times a week.  Although with the sprints we’re doing the same section of trail most of the time anyway.. but it FEELS different.

One of my goals is to really improve our canter work.  I want to use the canter to help improve her fitness, even if we never canter in a LD.  My seat needs to improve to ride her canter when she’s not totally balanced.  Her stamina needs to improve so she can canter more than one tiny trail section or two.

Given last week’s ride, it’s time to mark that last one accomplished.  Tracking app was broken for the day, so no log.. but we cantered most of the last half-mile of trail headed home.  And a good few chunks on the trail prior to that, too.  Pony feels GOOD.  [Although a thought occurs to me: I’m not getting her turned out in the arena very much, so I think for once I’m actually channeling that energy rather than fighting it. Probably time to let her have a good run without me.]

My balance feels vastly better.  I’m weighting my heels like a proper English rider and doing it to feel comfortable, not because I think I should.  Two-point is a work in progress.  Sitting back at the canter is, too.  The knee is totally fine on a horse and mostly fine off.

Another winter goal: jog on the trails with Fetti.  I’d like to get back into C25K once the knee agrees, and at least jog the flat bits once the rain kicks in.  We’ll see how that one goes.