Looking Forward

Looking back on the past year has me eagerly looking forward. I find myself counting down the days until Equine Affaire, which inevitably leads me to counting down the days until my next vacation. Bump that back to the sooner I can do my taxes and get my return the better, because that's my annual spending money at Equine Affaire.

Besides that, I'm looking forward to a break in the weather so that Dino and I can get back to work. This year I'm hoping to take him to his first show in April. Not to show, mind you, I'll tie him up to the trailer or get a stall, then school him in schooling ring and walk him around. I know Dino and I know once he becomes upset, there's no reasoning with him. As I have said all along, every experience has to be a good one which is built upon.

Then we'll go to our first show, we'll start at intro level and at our second show, if all goes well at our first, we'll do training level. Before we know it, time for dressage camp will be upon us again. Four days of fun in the sun (well, indoor) and a lot of learning. By the end of the summer, early fall, I hope to begin first level.

Could I push Dino to start doing shoulder-fore, shoulder-in, haunches-in, haunches-out, half-passes, and leg-yields? Yes, of course, but what good is it if Dino's not connecting over his topline from his hindquarters, if he' not maintaining contact with my hand. It should start simply with leg-yields, where Dino would travel both sideways and forward at the same time; his body is straight with a slight bend to the outside. This, to me, is basic riding and not just dressage.

I learned a long time ago that short-cuts do not pay off, they never have and they never will. So come on spring, hurry up and get here!!