End of November Analysis; December Goals!

Truly, this was one of the weirdest months I can remember. I started out SO strong with my blogging, I had all these things to write about, all these things I had to do. Then the election blindsided me. Completely knocked me off my feet. I know it sounds stupid, but it's hard to describe how negatively the whole thing has affected me. It's not just the election results, it's all of the fallout following it. Every day we get more bad news about picks for the transition team and cabinet, every day the scenario gets more frightening for me. At this point I'm just trying to get myself mentally pulled together enough to face this uncertain future. I have a lot of things to focus on, and it's very distractinb to feel like my attention is being pulled elsewhere to something so very negative.

So, back to writing I go. I have a lot of things I want to blog about after all!

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O-Ren November:

1) Go on ponying hacks with Dylan 1x a week

Success, kinda - Dylan had the last two weeks off post horse show so she sat around just being fat!

2) Continue to be a big fat relaxing preggo momma horse!

Success! Not that this is hard to accomplish of course. 

Dylan November:

1) Attend second WE show in Tyler!!!

Success! We had a pretty great show in Tyler. Some hits and some misses, certainly, but lots of homework and of course some beautiful satin to boot!

2) Decide if I want to dip my toe into the circus of breed shows (there is an IALHA show going on with the WE show this month. I kind of don't, because it sounds sort of completely not fun, but I am considering it for the future. Most likely I will stick with just WE and dressage shows this year, and then consider breed show stuff later on in 2017/2018.)

I definitely decided not to. I don't regret it - I added up the costs but it was very expensive. I do think Dylan would have done well, as he has done well in the past, but breed shows aren't high on my list at the moment. I have more important goals in mind!

3) Continue putting together 4th level and Intermediate (WE) level dressage tests

Success! But, the Intermediate tests need more work at home. We need to figure out how to chill Dylan out when he goes into the ring, so that he can quietly execute the walk work in this test. It is mentally VERY hard for him.

4) Increasing fitness work - more walk hacks added to each ride

Success! This is getting harder now that we are running short of daylight, but I'm happy with his level of fitness compared to where we were this summer following his injury. 

5) Trailer out regularly to practice WE obstacles in addition to trailering out regularly for rides at WD

I have been out once to the arena which had the WE obstacles and it went very well. It's an outdoor arena, which can be troublesome in the winter, but I intend to continue to do this. Bonus: I asked if I could toss the babies on the trailer and bring them along for experience and they said of course!

6) More lessons!!

This was hit and miss as well, but not for lack of trying - it's very hard to get ahold of L and sometimes our schedules do not mesh. She teaches Tuesdays and Thursdays, and while I can usually take that off in advance, sometimes I don't hear from her until 10 or 11 at night the day before the lesson. I have one scheduled in advance for next Tuesday though!

Pangea November:

1) Continue using her as a pony horse for the babies

Pmare didn't get ridden at all this month, not once. Which is fine, but I would have liked to make it happen.

2) Go on some off property trail rides with Pax or Zoodle!

Again, didn't get to do this - just not feeling quite like myself this month. 

Pax November:

1) Be ponied off P regularly

Didn't happen, see above. 

2) Go for some off property trail rides with P!

See above, again. 

3) Continue wearing a bridle and doing general handling/baby school stuff!

Success! This we did do. Pax gets groomed regularly and handled a long on the ground, so this went well. She is wearing her bridle well and now lets me walk up to her in the pasture and toss a blanket on and blanket her while she is loose. Last year she still wanted to be a wild naked animal and leave whenever the blanket would come out, this year she has become decidedly more domesticated. 

Lendri November:

1) Continue to do lots of long lining around the property and off the property a bit!

Success! I did decide after the bicycle incident that long lining her out on the road is dangerous. Come to think of it, everything near the road is dangerous - riding, driving. Cars drive fast out there and I fear accidents. I think I'll try and stay closer to the property or exclusively on the property, or in subdivisions only, especially with Lendri. She is too green still to take that chance.

2) Once new harness comes in - start to hitch again and really drive!

The new harness did come in and fits great, and she has been hitched one more time. I still harbor reservations about her being a reliable and safe driving animal though. Her abuse runs so deep and the equipment still sometimes frightens her for no particular reason that I can tell. I have a whole blogpost on this coming up!

Zu November:

1) Continue working on lunging without pulling - when he pulls he stops and turns himself around!

Success! Zu has done incredibly well with this. Shaping behavior with a zebroid is so interesting - I find that just doing a tiny bit at a time is the key. If you do something once or twice correctly, and give big praise, then just quit for the day. Even if you just worked for 3 minutes, just quit. It's enough. You've done enough for him to retain it. If you push and do more than that, and you end up with a confused or sour zorse, you're in big trouble. It's going to take a long time - a looooooooong time - this way but the outcome will be worth it.

2) Ponies with P - on and possibly off property!

Didn't do this - see above above. 

3) Toss him on the trailer whenever I take Dylan or anyone else off property! 

I didn't do this, but I asked if I could, and now that I know that I can I will!

4) Wearing a bit comfortably

Success! He is going well in the little mullen mouth half cheek that Lendri goes in too. Everyone seems to like that bit. It's sized appropriately for tiny mouths with fat tongues. and they all carry it comfortably. 

Uma/Sriracha November:

1) Continue general handling 1x week

As usual I handled them less than I would have liked but I have been messing around with them both regularly while she is in the pasture. I think Sriracha has a definite future as a driving mule but I'm not in a hurry. She is only 2 after all! And who knows, maybe Uma will get big enough and they can be a pair!

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O-Ren December:

1) Go on ponying hacks with Dylan 1x a week

2) Continue to be a big fat relaxing preggo momma horse!

Dylan December:

1) More lessons - I would like to do them every other week if possible

2) Continue putting together 4th level and Intermediate (WE) level dressage tests

3) Work on RELAXATION! We really need this for our Intermediate level tests! 

4) Trailer out regularly to practice WE obstacles in addition to trailering out regularly for rides at WD (and take the babies along!) 

Pangea December:

1) Continue using her as a pony horse for the babies

2) Go on some off property trail rides with Pax or Zoodle!

Pax December:

1) Be ponied off P regularly

2) Go for some off property trail rides with P!

3) Continue wearing a bridle and doing general handling/baby school stuff!

Lendri December:

1) Continue to do lots of long lining around the property and off the property a bit!

2) Once new harness comes in - start to hitch again and really drive!

Zu December:

1) Continue working on lunging without pulling - when he pulls he stops and turns himself around!

2) Ponies with P - on and possibly off property!

3) Toss him on the trailer whenever I take Dylan or anyone else off property! 

4) Wearing a bit comfortably

Uma/Sriracha: November:

1) Continue general handling 1x week

2) If desired: do a little more lunging work with Sriracha. She is only 2 after all and is in a good place in her training to have a winter off, but I may do a little bit here and there to keep her fresh.

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You'll notice many of my December goals are the same as my November ones. This is because they either didn't get worked on, or because they're ongoing things that need more than just one month to accomplish. 

Two stallions mean-mugging each other

I have lots to write about - working with the babies, Dylan, family trees, photo dumps, and there may or may not be a random giant mule at my house right now....