Ah, the last week of the year. Since I won't get to ride this week, I decided to reflect on this past year.

I went to my calender and counted all the horses I rode and all the times I rode this past year. I had a pretty good year, I went over my goal of averaging at least one ride a week, though some weeks I did not ride at all. All together I rode 80 times.

I also achieved my goal of riding more horses, I got up on 6 different horses this year, though on three of them I just got one ride.

Mia, the bay Arab mare, I got to ride 54 times, averaging just over once a week! There were several other times when I just trimmed her hooves, and at the beginning of the year my son helped me hand walk her several times until she got strong enough to ride twice a week. During this year Mia has started blooming, she is much more confident in me and she has gotten stronger. Her personality, previously buried, hiding from the "slings and arrows of outrageous fortune," is gradually manifesting. Mia is a very nice mare, very patient and forgiving of my mistakes, and quite willing to try new things so long they are explained clearly. She got a lot braver, especially since I decided to let her LOOK at what startled her. I started out having to count to fifteen before she would look away, now after I count to five she has dealt with it, looks away, and asks me why we are still standing around. BIG IMPROVEMENT. Mia is also sounder, at the trot she bobs her head only on tight turns, and she no longer bobs her head at the trot when going straight forward. She has put up patiently with me regaining my forward seat, for which I am very grateful. Mia is turning out to be a GOOD MARE so long as I listen to her and correct everything that bothers her. I just LOVE RIDING ARABS!!!

I got to ride Cider just 14 times. Cider is an Arab/Welsh mare, very spirited and with a LOT of get up and go! I call her the "Energizer Bunny" since she just wants to go and go, faster and faster. I have succeeded in getting her to slow down some, I no longer have to fight her to keep her going at an even pace, which is a big change from her constant acceleration. I even have succeeded in getting her to stand calmly on a loose rein for a few seconds, a great improvement over her usual dancing in place at the halt. Cider is an "ardent" mare, spirited, opinionated, and addicted to speed. I am really glad that I've managed to get her to walk on a loose rein. And, as always, I can trust Cider to tell me when my hands are too bad to ride in a bit. Cider LOVES keeping contact more than any other horse I've ever ridden, and when she will not keep contact with me I know that my hand tremor is too bad for keeping contact with the bit and I get out my bitless bridles.

Mars I rode 9 times. He is an Arab/Welsh gelding with arthritis in his knees. Shannon had gotten him pasture sound and wanted to see if she could get him back into her riding program. Mars is a fiery gelding, with plenty of get up and go when he doesn't hurt. He started out real good, but after three months of riding once a week Shannon and I decided that he was not really getting better, and he got retired again. Mars also has an ardent spirit, it is such a pity that his knee arthritis got so bad.

I have gradually gotten stronger, and therefore I ride a bit better. My endurance, though, has not increased at all. I still get exhausted after only 30 minutes of riding. My aids are a bit more coordinated, which the horses appreciate! For a few, all too brief minutes, I even felt totally united with my horse's forward motion, something I haven't felt for decades. My lower leg is much more stable, and my knees are finally finding the right place in the saddle. Due to my Herm Sprenger Bow Balance stirrups my heels are staying down a LOT better, since I started using them Debbie got after me about my heels just once. I even got to canter once. Maybe I will get to canter more next year.

All in all, a good year.

Have a great ride.