Not much to add...

So I haven't written in awhile as I feel like there is nothing much to add at this point.  I haven't been able to arrange a recent lesson with Shelley due to conflicting schedules.  She rode J while I was gone to the reining show with Tawney and Elizabeth and we had a lesson scheduled for today, but unfortunately Shelley is not feeling well, so it was cancelled. 

I've been working on all the same things, although probably not as diligent about riding his neck as long as it should be and as Shelley would like.  I have been doing lots of transitions, keeping J up off his front end while asking him to stretch and not get locked up in the neck and back.  I feel like he is getting stronger and better, but we'll see how it is interpreted in the next lesson.  I am getting a little stressed because it is now April 1st and we only have a couple more months to prepare for show season, hopefully that will be enough time to get confident on our work!  It will be great when the outdoor is rideable and I can start working on my movements in a larger area that will replicate a standard size dressage arena.  So I am definitely looking forward to that!

I have also been working on getting to know Radar and some the reining stuff.  I have not taken a lesson from Tawney yet, but am planning on doing our first one next week.  Radar is a great mount; super work-man-like personality and a little quirky in a fun way!  He definitely knows his stuff and I am working on gradually building up his stamina, muscling and flexibility to the rigors of reining again.  He tries his heart out each and every time and I cannot fault this horse for trying!  He does like to anticipate and gets short in the neck, so my dressage training is really helpful in getting him to use his body more honestly and have him wait for my aid instead of doing what he thinks I will ask for.  We are getting more and more in-sync and I am having a lot of fun with him.

I have decided to go with Tawney to her reining show in Winona, Minnesota today.  It was very last minute (on my part) and we'll be back tomorrow, so it will be a really short trip.  We are going to be sleeping in the gooseneck of the trailer with an air mattress and tons of blankets!  It will be great to watch the green class tomorrow to see exactly what the competition will look like and give me an idea as to what to expect and what is the "norm".  I'm hoping to show at Gordyville in May, so it'll be good to see what I'm in for this weekend!