Snow and goals

So, we got a bunch of snow! I didn't quite realize HOW MUCH snow we had gotten when I set out for the barn yesterday. As I got closer and closer to the barn, the roads got worse and worse. There were fewer and fewer cars out there with me. Most of them were trucks with plows! I finally turned down the road to the barn, and it looked there only one or two vehicles had driven down the road since the snow started. Pulled into the barn driveway, and there were the tracks of one vehicle. I plowed my little car through the snow, and it was so deep in the driveway and the parking lot that the snow came up over the hood of my car! I was driving blind there for a bit, couldn't get my wipers going fast enough. But I also couldn't stop, because my car would get stuck. So I just kinda plowed onward, hoping I wasn't driving into the woods or the field. *laughs*

I ended up being the only other person at the barn. And had a GREAT ride! I just love days like that. The new snow muffles everything a bit, and the world seems so snug and cozy. After the ride, on his way back to his paddock APP C had to dive his face into the deep, fluffy stuff. He has taken to this after each ride. He gets the cutest look on his face. He just kinda snuffles around in the snow, likes a little bit.

Today the sun was out, so when we were on our way back to his paddock, we stood for a good 15 minutes. Basking in the sun while he snuffled in the snow. It was so deep, he was buried up to his eyeballs. What a silly pony!

Oh, and today was another great ride. He is getting stronger and more balanced every day. I am also getting stronger and more balanced with every ride. *laughs* And that, in turn, is making his job much easier.

Yesterday I took a look at the 2009 show schedule. Looks like there are 4 USDF shows this summer. I am hoping to hit each of them, and at least the first schooling show. Possibly the second schooling show, but we'll see how the summer is going. Right now I'm aiming for Training Level, and maybe toss in some 1st level towards the end. At this time, I think his strengths are going to be consistency of tempo, free walk, chewy/stretchy circles, submission. Weaknesses will probably be canter work. His canter is very obedient, but tends to be a tad flat right now. A lot of that is just strength, and part of it is that he finds canter easy, so he doesn't think he has to work as hard there. *grins* I plan to introduce a little bit of jumping to get the idea of JUMP in the canter. So, as far as weaknesses go, it's not much of a weakness. *laughs*