New Year's Day Ride

We had a lot of snow a few weeks ago, followed by a thaw and now more cold. I've been working Molly a little at a time so that we can get used to these conditions together.

As soon as we could get around at all, I just hand-walked her around the tack room building. As the snow packed down we walked farther afield, and last weekend we resumed riding in the upper field.

Some of the farm equipment has been moved around for winter. The rows of crops are sheltered with lots of straw and some snow over that. There's still a lot of snow cover elsewhere. So the landscape looks a lot different and I give her plenty of time to look around. There are lots of new tarps covering this and that so we make sure to check those out beforehand.

She has taken just about everything in stride but I still give her lots of time. She snorts a lot and I can feel that she is different. I suppose it could be the cold, or the footing, or the wind, or the way sights  and sounds are different in the snow. I try really hard to sit her well so that she gains confidence in herself and in me. She frequently starts trotting on her own, so I know she is not at all relaxed! Recalling my teachers, I stop her often and back up a few steps, then go forward, so that she has something else to think about.

She spooked at a parked truck and also at one of her reins. She rarely spooks and I'm not scared when she does it but it seemed this time to be a sign that she's not herself. So I dismounted right away and then she walked along just fine. Next time I think I'll stay mounted and walk her back and forth a short distance. If we are able to stay in tune now, then come spring, we can progress!