Today was brought to you by winter crud, which is apparently going through my household. I’m fine and the dog is fine, but Kade and Tom have been wandering around with stuffy noses and aching heads, so they are stuck at home. Kade’s covid test was negative and Tom’s is pending and we’re vaccinated (Kade should be next week!!!) so it’s most likely just winter crud. Ugh.

I had a good day despite the husband moping around and the kid bouncing off walls by staying in meetings all morning and ditching them in the afternoon. I absconded to the barn and took Benny for a long stroll, in which he discovered his new favorite place (hint, it’s the duck pond) and I actually rode my pony! (Benny chills happily in his kennel in my truck with a chew while I ride).

So much went right tonight, I felt a few things clicking into place. I brought Tarma up to lunge her, but first I had a work meeting (thankful for company provided cell phones!). I set her loose in the indoor during my meeting and she just chilled with me the whole half hour. While tacking up, I took pauses to try some touches on her, trying to figure out where she liked it. I think I hit some good spots as she licked and chewed and yawned and was pretty chill for a part that can still worry her a bit.

She only had one opinionated moment during our ride, just a few head tosses, the rest of the time she was mostly engaged and forward… until she felt like it was dinnertime and she’d worked enough! Straight lines are barely workable for us, let alone rhythm or anything else on that fancy dressage pyramid, but we put in some time and called it good. Plus, I came home to one of my favorite meals, Shepard’s pie for dinner, that I didn’t have to cook. Not too shabby for a Tuesday…but I would like the house to myself again tomorrow!