Cold Morning, Still No Snow

*warning – nothing interesting here*

I am half-heartedly doing some work on the computer before getting bundled to go out to the stables and meet the farrier. I’d like to try to work Kipper today, although there will be hordes of little girls on ponies filling the arena, no doubt. *sigh* It will be a couple of months before I’ll trust him in that kind of environment, based on his present mood. It’s so strange starting a colt this way; my way of working in the past has been slowly and carefully. You start with ground work, then move on to lungeing and long-lining, then ride in the round pen, where there are no distractions, then the larger arena, then outside on the trails. A logical progression. Here, there is no round pen, and I can’t get into the indoor arena, so I have to trust him enough to just get on him in the big outdoor arena with all of the horses in the fields running along the fence and distracting/exciting him. It feels very chancy and dangerous, as although he is a good boy, he is still a three-year-old baby and therefore an idiot at times.

I’m feeling a bit more holiday spirit, although I would have dearly loved to be home with my family this Christmas. Ah, well, it will be nice to have the time off, holidays or no. Phil has gone off to work, no doubt bearing mistletoe and candy; he’ll work today and tomorrow, and then be off for a few days. PS2 time for him; I plan to stock up on some good books.

Pre- New Years Resolution: next year I want the holidays to be different. If I can’t be at home with family and friends, I want to be somewhere exotic, like a chateau in France with a ton of friends, or a skiing lodge in Switzerland, sipping brandy in front of a roaring fire. ;)

Want to come?