Standing

So today was a definite improvement on yesterday and Monday. It started well, and pretty much stayed that way. Other than the laundry, but that's just because I hate laundry.
It all started pretty much the same as all the others, with the exception that I gave Deli her anti-histamine in her feed this morning and put that steroid goop in her eyes. It must be working because she looks tons better then she did yesterday or Monday. Whew. Now I can stop worrying that she's going to die....

Of course, I started my riding day with Mr. RC. Again, he was a turd. I rode some test for MD, after a long and low warm up. I thought that he would be happy since he didn't have to sit as much as we've been working on. But no. Mr. Chompers was not a happy camper today, not at all. After a slight hissy while I was riding first level test 4, we sorted things out. The lesson finished with work turning onto the center line. If RC is going to be able to compete at first level, he has got to be warming up like a second level horse. Damn... Oh well, we're getting there, one frustrating step at a time.
After RC, I got to ride Diva. I rather like riding her, especially after my lesson with MD. She has a lot of go, and is sometimes a little lacking on the whoa. But today, she even came back from the canter to the trot when I asked for it not just when ever she felt like it. Either I'm improving, or she is. Either way, it's fun.

Later, it was Deli's turn. Yep, now that Deli can see again, she's back at work. She stood like a champ for the saddling and bridling, as if she never had four days off for health reasons. I lunged her both directions at all three gaits with the stirrups down and flapping. She did take a little offense to being smacked in the sides by the irons in the canter, but other then that she acted as if she was an old hand at all of this. Even her "moments" were nothing that I haven't ridden on RC or Opie. I really like this little horse.
Anyway, after twenty minutes or so of lunging, MD and I decided that she was probably ready to hold some weight. We spent probably ten minutes, standing in the stirrup, holding myself up on her side, then dismounting, rinse and repeat. By the end of the session, I was laying across the saddle while MD held her. If Deli keeps this up, next week, MD will lunge me on her. The next step will be walking and trotting without the line. Yikes... I cant wait.
After Deli strutted her stuff, MD and I worked with the Cremello mare. In a case of competitive two year olds (or in this mare's case, three year olds), she did everything that Deli did, even though it was her first day to wear a saddle. I was surprised at how good the little mare was, given on how spastic she can be. There wasn't even a buck. I'm not going to lie, I was nearly disappointed. Everyone likes to watch other people's horses misbehave... Or maybe that's just me.
To wrap up the day, MD and I went on a trail ride. We disobeyed the posted signs and everything. So for an hour, I rode Sonnet who did not relax for the whole hour. If anything she grew steadily less confident in her surroundings. RC would have loved it. Maybe next time for him....