Countdown to show season...

So my students have been amusing me this week. Last night one of my students had a great line that I found, perhaps, far more funny than it really was. We were doing an exercise that involved riding straight down the quarter line, and had done this a couple times when she randomly did something entirely different. Now this is a student who I quite enjoy teaching, and like most of the students who I really enjoy teaching, when she does something unusual there's generally a reason (whether or not the reason is *good* is entirely a different matter, but at least there's a reason!). So I asked :)

And she did indeed have an entirely valid and appropriate reason for doing what she did -- as she told me she has a "programmable pony". hahaha As in he was anticipating (faster than any of the others -- she was about one try ahead of where I was intending to change the exercise, three or four before the other horses would've had it) and so she changed the exercise so he would listen to her instead. But I loved her choice of phrase. Particularly as her particular programmable pony has some bugs -- like randomly freezing (before a fence :), running programs not explicitly requested (ie bolting, swerving or bucking), or choosing not to boot properly (refusing to stand to let rider mount). hahaha so I might have a bit of a warped sense of humour, what can I say :) But it was just such the perfect phrase for him!

Then today I had a student tell me that in every lesson you should hate your coach for at least five minutes. hahaha love it. Theory being of course that said coach is making you work hard *g* My theory is it's all good so long as you're not hating them at the end of the class! (next day is fair game though :)

Sienna today was such a star. I swear she *wanted* to be ridden. I took her out of her stall and groomed her, and then put her back to go teach. Was she ever mad. Standing with her head in the corner of the stall door in "let me out" position, pinning her ears as we walked by with the other horse (who she usually likes). I was a little stunned. So when I was done teaching I did take her out to ride and she was absolutely amazing. Flat work was forward and soft and supple (well as supple as we get anyways :) And then jumping she was a complete star. Working on canter courses (she can jump the moon out of a trot, but canter's still a little dodgy). And all was perfect with little jumps. So I made them just a touch over competition height (without working our way up like we usually do). And she was awesome. Stayed calm and quiet and even the one fence I screwed up royally she not only covered for me, but refrained from having a meltdown afterwards as well. I was amazed (usually if I miss, we're toast). And this after an amazing dressage ride on Sun followed by pretty incredible jumping on Sat. And after all that, tomorrow the vet is doing her teeth and her shots. Poor pony; is absolutely amazing and this is how she gets repaid. Booo. But then the fun stuff begins. Now very excited for show season!