I know it's a day early, but:

Snow and Pictures!

We had snow yesterday, and I let the kids out today - just two at a time in our little front field because I was worried about them slipping an falling because it was pretty slick in spots. Pictures are poor quality because I forgot my camera and had to use my phone, but we are suppossed to get more snow this week and I'm planning on taking more pictures then.

Ramora had never seen snow before! She was so cute: she wouldn't go out without Boo, but once he went out she had fun.



Duke and Skinny were next. Duke likes snow, but I was shocked by Skinny's reaction! He's from Minnesotta, and boy oh boy does he love snow! The first thing he did was roll a few times, and then he started running like I've never seen before. Poor boy wiped out once, but he got right back up and kept going!



Apologies for Duke's dirty blanket - it's his spare while I fix his good one.

Back in the Saddle!

Well, my knee is back to normal, and I've been riding again when the weather permits. Skinny is getting stronger (almost to the point where I feel like I'll be able to start pushing him for motion and such), and Adam and I had a good spin around the ring (he even trotted!).

Duke has been sound, thank goodness, and he's got plates on now to keep him on the right angles. His six months of rest are up in January, so everybody cross your fingers for me that his ultrasound will result in good news!

Ramora is out of quarantine and in the main barn now. She lives at the end of the row next to Boo and across from Skinny, and she's made a friend in Boo. Skinny is still on the fence about her, but he's never too mean to her. Duke likes her, Toby alternates between hating her and treating her like she's one of his Harem, and Nut and Belle are still in the "OMG, what are you?" stages. Everyone else either runs her off or ignores her.

I've been searching for tack for Skinny, since I don't have a hunt saddle. I've got a snaffle bit that lets me have double reins(the English version of this - http://www.statelinetack.com/item/tom-thumb-classic-training-snaffle-bit/SLT732120/ ), but I'm not sure if it's legal-for-show. Fortunately a show bridle is easy enough to get, I just have to decide which brand I want. My problem has been finding used hunt saddles that are flat enough for my tastes that don't cost a lot (thank you Ebay - I almost had one but lost the bid by $2 in the last second of the bidding. Have another I'm eyeing now). I ride in a very flat Barnsby now and I don't like deep seats at all, which is making my search harder.

My quest for hunt saddles have left me feeling very negative about H/J riders abilities to even stay in the saddle if they have to have all these super-deep-seats and padded knee rolls that all-but have velcro on them. And what's up with the blocks on dressage saddles? Maybe I'm old school (a scary thought since I'm only 23), but whatever happened to maintaining proper leg position by actually using your legs?

Ok, ending my mini-rant now... kinda - it's still going on in my head ("world class" dressage riders that can't sit a sitting trot and flop their legs like rag dolls, dressage horses that have their heads dragging the ground like QH's, Eventing riders who look like they're staying in the saddle by sheer luck and jack their horses mouths for no apparent reason...)

ok ok, I'll stop now, I promise!

If there are any CP Hunt people still reading that I haven't mortally offended, any help you could give me would be wonderful!