With the overdue fall rains coming home this weekend in force, I ducked out of work early to soak up the last drops of summer. I was supposed to have a dressage lesson but scheduling conflicts got in the way, though Tarma and I ended up have a stellar time together.

I hauled the trailer to the barn since it was still hitched, and tied Tarma to it to tack up. Keep ahead of the mare and confuse her just a bit, that’s the name of the game sometimes! I punched two more shorter holes in my stirrup leathers so I can post better (ow my ankles), and stood around chatting with a fellow boarder once I mounted for a bit. This gave Tarma time to relax, instead of getting antsy and anticipating things. I’ve been erring on the side of rest and processing time for her between arena rides, they are more emotional and mental work for her than trails. My dressage trainer pointed out that Tarma is a working horse, which means she needs to both see the reason for doing the thing and to be kept at it, so I’m going to up to two to three arena rides a week once our endurance season is over.

I turned on a playlist I’ve been putting together, trying to find a good working/posting trot pace for us both. We stretched and warmed up well, then when I asked for the trot she threw some sass. The music takes me just enough out of my own head I was able to keep her forward instead of clutching her too tightly, which she does not appreciate, shocker. We didn’t have the cleanest bend and my dang legs keep creeping forward into a chair seat, but we’ve gotten so much better. Still not ready for an intro Western Dressage test, though we had a few moments of smooth collection and rhythm today.

We managed to open and close the gate while mounted without a fight, then we marched around the orchards with (barely any) reins and I belted out songs to the bemused horses in the pastures. I had “don’t want to get off my pony -itis”, so we kept looping, Tarma grazing and Benny following his nose, all under the warm sunshine with the signs of fall all around us.

Thankfully I was able to go from riding to Benny’s agility lesson (with a pit stop at home to check out the kids rented trumpet for band), where we spent some time setting up an actual course of 18 obstacles and taking turns running the dogs through and finding our sticky spots. It was so much dang fun and Benny is fantastic, though we haven’t yet nailed the weave poles and he struggles a bit with the “bang!” of the teeter. We really out together a good section of jumps, tunnel and A frame that was pretty slick.

Happy dog, happy if slightly bothered mare, happy mom!