July 10 work in progress

I didn't actually end up with much art time today.

Crappy pic taken late at night, this has a loooong way to go (must finish this week!!!!)



I spent the morning sorting birds, then had to box up several dozen eggs for shipping. I rode this evening after dinner. Today was fantastic weather. Didn't go over 82, overcast, sprinkled (!) this evening, loved it! Shylah has suddenly learned how to neck rein. This isn't really something I've made much of an effort to work on, only recently starting putting the off-side rein across her neck while doing direct-reining. She's super responsive to leg cues, and it's like all of a sudden it must have clicked, because tonight I was walking her around on a loose rein getting her to turn this way and that with neck rein and leg cues only. Awesome. Granted, some people probably have their two year olds doing this already, but I'm proud of my four year old! :-) I keep hoping one day her canter will magically be wonderful, but it's not. It's weird. I really have to make an extreme effort to sit way back in the saddle, because I have this tendency to think "oh dread, I have to canter now, it's going to be awful" and then I get all scrunched up in the saddle and then it really IS awful! I'd really rather trot!

She is doing this weird thing now of putting her head down (way down, to the ground if she could, but I don't let her do it) when she trots..or canters. Not when she walks. I don't understand if this has something to do with the bit (same as always, nothing has changed) or if this is just one of those dumb things she is going to go through. Maybe I'll try a ride in the halter and see what she does. The other dumb thing she's doing lately is being all weird about going on the asphault driveway. She's always been funny about crossing from one surface to another (grass to gravel, road to field, she worries about cracks in the sidewalk, etc) but she's been out a gazillion and a half times and suddenly she's getting all freaked out about it. I think I'll start hand-walking her out on the road, gotta get her used to cars, and I may even be doing a road ride on Friday..

Anyway, let's see, what else. Late tonight I baked a double recipe of chocolate peanut butter cookies. I did not have to stack my own hay this year... (yay!) Part of the payment (besides moolah) was I offered to make the guys any dessert they wanted. It's always wise to take me up on this offer. ;-) So cookies it is! I'll deliver them tomorrow, maybe even stick them in saddle bags and walk Shylah down there, it's a half mile down the road.

Okay, that's it. It's late.