Janurary 16th - 10:00pm

Started off the morning longing horses for Rodrigo. Everyone is pretty use to the routine so it went by pretty quickly. Two of the young ones needed me to hold the line for the first couple minues of the ride and have a hand on them when Rodrigo got off but besides that, everyone was good/easy. Got on Montana afterward followed by Cor Lit for flat hacks. Then got on Puccini. Flatted him a bit then went through the six stride bending line to the cavaletti that Martin had set up. Too much stride the first time through and almost put a five in. Too little second and almost did seven but after that got the six right on every time. After we did a little cross rail course. Pretty straight forward jumps but the turns, layout and movement in the ring made it a little more difficult than the average cross rail course. Puccini and I, however, still got it done. I was actually ridiculously happy with it (and getting a "good job!" from Martin). Sometimes I can get so frustrated with my poor riding that I have to work at not being like "why do I bother?". But then I realize I couldn't get anything out of Puccini when I arrived let alone a good course. And that I am starting to make good and correct changes while on course without thinking. Raising this hand, opening this rein, pushing with my knee/leg here. A horse can try to pop a shoulder out or things can go wrong and I'm able to deal with it better. And without conscious thought. Big improvement. Took a quick break for lunch then I hopped on Casia. We ended up doing the same exercise and course with her. She is a heck of a lot younger and greener than Puccini though so I was even more pleased to pull it off quite well with her as well. She's not one I have ridden much either (this was my second or third ride I believe) so to be able to get on a young horse that I don't know and get decent course work out of her is a big accomplishment. Never would have been able to do that before I arrived here. Could barely get it done on an older horse I didn't know. Or a green one I did. After Casia, I jumped on Boss and the other girls and I ended up doing a lesson over the same exercise. As I was listening to Martin teach I realized another thing that I ride into my corners better and more consistently now. I hadn't even realized I was doing it until I wasn't getting corrected for not doing it. The jumping with Boss was decent but not great. Mostly because I spent a big part of the time reminding myself to keep my elbows by my side. Which promptly made everything stiff. Apparently I cannot touch my elbows nor put them anywhere near my body without forgeting how to ride. Joy. But if there is one thing today proved, I can improve and will improve before leaving here. And after that, the sky's the limit!