A Very Wet Day!

Hi everyone! Today was a very very wet and cold day! We got to start it all off by waking up to rain and cold and as the day progressed it seemed to get better and better; thank god for indoor arena's!

We first met at at a Polo Horse Barn and met Olivia, she is in charge of all of the Polo horses and took the EMT course from Michael and Sara last year. We had kind of a Q & A with her about anything we were interested in and also questions about the care of the Polo Horses.

We were supposed to go up to where the horses are out on pasture just north of the equestrian center, but due to the weather we got to stick around the arena and work on some of the other horses (dressage, hunter jumper and western pleasure horses).

I paired up with Laura today and we started off with the most lively one of the bunch, he was actually a Polo horse (Thoroughbred) that had been injured and wasn't able to go out to pasture. He didn't really want to have anything to do with us and I think that he had a little ADD!!! He was very active; but to tell the truth... it was a really good experience and I totally enjoyed the day! Even though it was harder to get and keep his attention I found that I really learned a lot! When I finally found a spot that he really enjoyed he was right into it; I found that he was tight in his neck near the trunk of his body and when I worked there he would cock his neck really funny and soak it all up!!!

The second horse that we had was a very very quiet Quarter Horse, he was absolutley stunningly beautiful and very gentle and quiet! He was a totally different experience to work on, but it was really nice to have one of each extreme today, I was able to see how to approach differently!

This afternoon we are at Rick's, which I always enjoy! Today me and my group got to work with Rick in the round pen and when it was my turn I felt that I did a really good job and had a solid understanding of what I was supposed to accomplish. After the class was over for the day Rick told me that I did a good job in the round pen and that made me feel really good, I was trying really hard!!!

All in all, I had a good day, lets just hope that the weather is better for tomorrow. We are going up to a ranch we have never been to -- another dude ranch up north... they may have snow so we will have to dress even warmer than today!! I am used to the snow so I know how to dress!!! But I wasn't thinking when I packed to come here... I left all of my toques at home and my head was a little cold today!! I have a hoodie that I can wear tomorrow to keep all my brains warm enough to learn!!! And to hold everything in!

Ciao for tonight!