Too few degrees.

Well, you're right. I shouldn't have gotten up early, bundled up, and gone out in the 24 degree weather to ride this morning. I am now paying for it with a headache and snifflies.

However, I'm going to do it again tomorrow, except for the getting up early part.

And we had a good time. :)

My lesson partners and I had agreed last week that we'd get together and ride at our usual time, so I had an appointment to keep, y'see. Plus, I really, really wanted to check on Rev, make sure she was warm and dry (she was, but I'm not satisfied completely). Plus plus, I knew I was flirting with disaster -- not riding my 7 year old for a week? Horrors!

So longjohns, winter breeches, layers, layers, and layers it was, and off I went. Twenty. Four. Degrees. That is NOT ENOUGH DEGREES. Especially not for November 5!

Anyway, we played with poles today. I set them, and I don't think I did a very good job -- it was passable and ridable, but it was definitely practice on turns!! Reveille was quite good, especially for it being a cold morning and her having been unridden for a week. She proves her sports-car-ness in the indoor, and I'm getting better at riding more balanced turns. Better doesn't nescessarily mean good, though ... more practice necessary.

I was really impressed with ME's older gelding, too. Her younger gray horse is resting after sarcoidectomy and getting his hocks injected, so she brought her best friend horse. What a good fellow he is! Exactly what I consider an ideal older guy: been there, done that, long-time partner, loves to work even if he's stiff sort of fellow. I hope Reveille has an attitude as good as his when she's 20+. I suspect she'll be the long-suffering attitude sort, one of those "*SIGH!*, a kid? again?" sorts of horses, one who'll tolerate a rider as long as the rider isn't egregious, and then once the rider gets egregious she'll dump them and make them try again. :) I do think she'll be suited for a schoolie some day, but I don't plan on selling her or getting to that point anytime soon.

Anyway, I digress. I am going to have to ride her face off tomorrow, cold or no cold. Illness or temperature. What I would have liked to have done with her today would have been to hop on, go outside, and gallop around the outside arena several times, put a few poles in her way, et cetera. However, too cold! She would have liked a gallop, I think. So tomorrow we're going to break in the NEW DRAW REINS THAT FINALLY ARRIVED! And the sheepskin pad! Man, we get the best swag from The Sprinkler Bandit. ;) Anyway, yes. Focused workout for us both tomorrow, and maybe afterward I'll plop the jump saddle on and let her gallop outside. If it's not frozen, and if she still needs it, and if I feel up to it.

For now, though, warm fire, blankets, fluids, DayQuil, and episodes of The West Wing. :)