Princess's Thanksgiving

Many of you relaxed and had a delicious dinner served to you with much fanfare.  Me, I had to work for my oats this Thanksgiving.  You would think that serving up ride after ride would get me a pass, but no, my owner/guardian Joan signed us up for the Bernie Traurig clinic over Thanksgiving weekend.  I have only been "off campus" once since hanging out with Joan in March of this year. So this was new and different and I intended to milk that novelty for all its worth.  Add some winter chill and you night even call me feisty.

What, exactly, is a horse clinic?  That is when a phenomenal world class trainer comes to your area to teach master classes over a weekend.  Four horses, four riders, with Hugh included, signed up from our barn.  We joined about 15 others divided into 4 classes.  This took place at Kilham Farm in Nicasio.  Three of use were in the first session in Saturday.  That meant arriving on Friday and getting introduced to the new surroundings.  I did get a little amped. But Joan figured the best solution was forward, forward, forward, faster than I wanted to go, with no opportunity to go vertical and buck her off.  I tired out and agreed to a truce.

Saturday, the class was 90 minutes long, with 5 horses in the area.  I did lose some concentration ability part way through and got a little difficult, but mostly cooperative.  Sunday, noticeably more cooperative and patient, I didn't look like such a newby .  Joan learned some pointers to make her ride me better, I hope she remembers everything because it could make quite a difference.  Mostly Bernie stressed keeping arms elastic with consistent contact in the canter, getting a rhythmic cancer.  I am a very sensitive mare, you know.  She can't get away with nothing! Guess that is why she needs three thousand lessons a week.