It's been about 2 weeks since the last update. Nothing much to report - most of the same, some regression - all to be expected.

I must admit one day last week I was just plain ol' frustrated at the situation. I shouldn't be, I have no right to be, but stuff happens, you know? It was never in my plans to ONLY have a green bean to ride. I'd always intended on having one going (Rio, in this case) and bringing one along (Catnip in this case). When I was bringing Rio along I had my steady-eddy JB to remind me what it felt like to RIDE! And that made all the green moments with Rio ok.

But now Rio's injured, and I only have Catnip to ride. I don't RIDE. We aren't cantering yet, we're sure as heck a long way from jumping. So, I got frustrated and was feeling fairly sorry for myself. I just never intended to be "here", but "here" is where I am, so "here" is what I'll make do with

Anyway, on to today's update:

Sunday I took her into the pasture for a bit of walking around - a little terrifying as she LOVES to cruise around the pasture at liberty, and I was taking her away from the other 2 in the barn. But heck, I figured if she decided to bolt, I knew she'd head to the gate, and as long as I could hang on...

But she totally surprised me and was quite relaxed at the walk. She even just merely watched as hubby came back through the neighbor's field on his bike, with the dogs. *I* was more nervous about her reaction to that than she ever was!

We did a little trotting there too, on the top of the hill because she has NO balance with me up there on the side of the hill It wasn't as nice as I'd hoped, but truthfully, it was no worse than our first few trots in the ring - unsteady, unsure, etc. I'd planned sometime in the last few days to try trotting down the long side of the lower end of the pasture, away from the house, just to see if that terrain would suit her, but just haven't gotten there yet. But, the variety of knowing I can ride (even if just walking for now) in the pasture will be good for her.

Yesterday we actually had another little breakthrough. Up til now, all our trotting has been fairly erratic - sudden wiggly lines, 3/4 of a circle with 1/4 of it a counterbend, diving in "circle", lots of head tossing on the transitions, speedy trot followed by hardly a trot, etc. But yesterday there were quite a few moments of steady, head still, body straight trotting.

This morning was interesting There was LOTS of fast trotting, going nowhere in a hurry. I have a feeling it was a balance thing - she was trot-trot-trot-trotting with her head and neck all stretched out, and I'm SURE she was just going faster and faster to keep from falling on her face. She's juuuuuuuuust starting to recognize what a half-halt is, as in our walks in the pasture I've been introducing that on the downhill portions, but she's nowhere near recognizing it at the trot. Yet. I know she's not just zoning me out, because putting her on a small(er) circle slows her right down.

So, some progress, some regression, but overall forward progress