Indoors?

I went and checked out the other boarding facility today. It's a little smaller than I expected, but I like it. There are only 10-15 horses, instead of 25. The owner/manager is very nice and thorough. She appreciates the smallness of what she has, and isn't interested in having tons of boarders because she likes the quiet and lack of stress she has now.

We're pretty much set to go. I was quite happy with it, and she said she likes to keep a few pens open, so she should have space for us in the winter. She's totally fine with me wanting to be there for just a few months, and is cool with letting me use my own trainer/farrier/vet.

I'm quite happy. As for coming back to our current barn in March or April, that shouldn't be a problem. I figure that I'll just keep working for Cathy through the winter, so she'll have the same amount of help with one less horse to feed. Win-win.

Speaking of Cathy (she's my trainer), she rode Miss Izzy today. She was having an uncharacteristically unscheduled day, so I asked her to. It was educational. We talked about where Izzy is at. I thought we were behind because I'm really not pushing her. I got her in February, rode for the first time in March, kinda laid off in April, and have been working her very regularly in June and July. As you're probably aware, she still has trouble lunging and we just started cantering. Cathy actually thinks we're doing fine. She has several horses in training right now that just take longer. You can't rush them. Ironically, I think they're all related to Izzy, too. It's her dad's side kicking in. Her mother learns much faster.

So anyways. I tacked up Izzy and lunged her. Cathy rode her, and had pretty much the same problems that I do with her. It was nice to know that. I think it means I'm doing ok. Basically, though, Cathy said that I need to let her get away with less. When she puts up a fuss, I need to make her keep working instead of backing off to avoid conflict.

Nothing like a horse that challenges our character weaknesses...