Cold day

First lesson of the morning, 30 degrees outside. There's ice crunchies on the top layer of the outdoor area. I've got a jacket on and Sam's got his fleece quarter sheet on, so we're not feeling it so much. Although at some point I don't think I could feel my pinky toes. But eventually we warm up and lose the layers.

My lesson went well. We worked on walk to canters which Sam has nailed since he reads my mind very well. And then we trotted some figure 8s of jumps and trot rails. We also worked on counter-canter which went beautifully when I remembered to keep asking for it, instead of trotting the change.

I have definitely noticed in the last week that my cardio has really stepped up and I can ride much longer without needing a break. I can better focus on key areas of riding improvement instead of just gasping for air. I'm definitely noticing when I make mistakes, what they are, and what I should have done instead. Now if I could just figure out which lead Sam's cantering on when we're riding straight.

One great winter essential is my Sperry rain boots. Not only are they super stylish and help me remember what spring looks like, but the micro-fleece inside is pretty darn warm and cushy. I've been wearing them to and from the barn, they're perfect for fetching my horse from the pasture and easily hosed off to keep my car clean on the way home. Although this week, it's been dry and freezing, so no mud to wash off. Bonus that I got them at outlet pricing.