After 12 days off work, having family come in from Chicago, hosting Christmas at our house with family/friends, and closing on the sale of our rental home, I’m making myself post before heading off to check out what everyone else has been up to. While it was great to stay home this year (usually we go to Chicago for Christmas), it was almost as exhausting to stay home! Husband and I started off looking like this:
But ended feeling like this:

And speaking of the Tiniest Dictator, one of my favorite moments of the last few weeks was his first official riding lesson! Due to P’s current state of unpredictability, he hasn’t been able to ride him for the past couple months…which angers the T.D. greatly. So BO put him on the World’s Biggest But Gentlest Lesson Angel and gave him a lunge lesson. And it was ADORABLE.
Disclaimer: The T.D. is a strange child who, if Husband or I are around, will typically not speak to anyone, including BO. So we hid up at the barn to watch/take videos so that he would actually acknowledge BO’s presence.
Balancing exercises at the walk (methinks I need to do this!):
And a little trot:
The next day he came out with me to the barn and when I started getting P tacked up he goes, “Which horse am I riding?”

He’ll probably reach Training level before I do.
P is still doing alright. He is currently going through a phase where he pretends he has no idea what contact is and spends our walk times trying to drag the reins through my hands #stallrestproblems Normally I would do things like transitions or changes of direction to keep him moving properly but alas, rehabbing tendon and all. One horrible habit I’ve always had is loose/open fingers, so this at least is getting me to keep them closed.

But the other day, P just COULDN’T EVEN:


No, it wasn’t a horrible spook. And it lasted all of 4 seconds. But I swear I heard tendon fibers tearing with every stride. I can still hear them. Because I’m neurotic like that at this point. But he’s fine and has trotted totally sound ever since. I swear though, my nerves can’t take this much longer.
And speaking of nerves…this afternoon will be his first day cantering (on purpose)! One whole minute every other day…exhilarating, right?

Hope everyone had a wonderful holiday-here’s to 2019!
Ugh P! FOLLOW THE PROGRAM… come to think of it, I don’t think that has EVER been P’s motto. Doesn’t he know he is going to have to pack TD around BN in 5 or so years?
LikeLike
Bahaha he really does have something completely different in his head most of the time 😂😂 Pretty sure the TD will skip all the sissy stuff and insist on starting at 2*
LikeLiked by 1 person
Watch him forge a new birth certificate that INSISTS he’s actually 14 to try and get around the FEI rules.
LikeLike
Bahahaha don’t ever trust the T.D. He’s always got an evil plan swirling around in the noggin
LikeLiked by 1 person
oh man, no more spooking P!!!! but yay for cantering on purpose soooon!!!!
LikeLike
Gah, he has the worst timing!
LikeLike
Yay, CANTERING!!!!!
LikeLike
Moving on up!
LikeLike
cantering? So it is not pissing down with rain where you are cause it sure is here. ENJOY CANTERING for one minute. Actually that sounds about doable 🙂 HA HA I love TD face. I dont see any of your husband in him only you. he looks totally like a mini-you 🙂
glad he got to have a lesson. When we getting him a pony??
I did guffaw when you sent me that gif this week. P is never boring right?? 🙂
LikeLike
Oh it’s been raining but luckily the arena at the barn is aaahhhh-mazing! He def resembles me more than Matt, while the older one is Matt’s mini-me.
People keep tagging me in pony ads on FB. And I’m getting weaker…
LikeLiked by 1 person
TD is so freaking cute. He is going to need a pony some day soon. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
If we had our own place that’d be a no-brainer but I don’t know if I could swallow a $1300 board bill 🤢
LikeLike
Omg P do you not know that now is NOT THE TIME FOR SHENANIGANS?? omg I feel your pain!! Also I know exactly what you mean by needing a vacation from your vacation
LikeLike
Right?! It’s like, get your #%*! together, man! I’m not enjoying this any more than you are
LikeLiked by 1 person
I love that you call him the tiniest dictator. We call Bea that too. Yay for cantering!!!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Bahaha, something about kids and their dictator tendencies!
LikeLike
Oh p! He just wants to be in charge of his own rehab! Glad you guys had a good Chrissy and New Year, even if it was hectic!
LikeLike
He always thinks he knows best! Newsflash…not so much 🤦♀️
LikeLike
Damnit, P, follow the directions! You’ll get to canter soon enough.
LikeLike
Right?! I keep explaining it to him (because there’s nothing else to do while w/t around a ring for 35 minutes…) and clearly he has a comprehension issue 😂😂
LikeLike
P says he was ready to canter before he was supposed to canter hahaha! And OMG TD and his new helmet!!!! SO dang cute!!!!!! ALSO I’m SO JELOUS of you’re area!!!!! No standing water???? How is that possible??? Is the rain stopping here and completely MISSING YOU?!?!?!! My ring drains really well but we’ve gotten so much damn rain that I haven’t been able to ride since b4 xmas bc everything is impossibly wet!
LikeLike
P always thinks he knows best 🤦♀️ It’s been raining a ton here but the barn’s arena is AMAZING. There’s some water along a couple of the sides but the footing is super fluffy and perfect ♥️♥️♥️
LikeLike
You looked absolutely STUNNING in those Christmas photos! And for the love of God P, just be good!
LikeLike
Awwww thank you ♥️♥️ And right?! I don’t keep you in a stall because I WANT to 🤦♀️
LikeLiked by 1 person
You’re preaching to the choir 😂
LikeLike
I hope he continues to heal fabulously and you and your hubs look sharp at X-mas time!
LikeLike
Thanks!!
LikeLike