Lovely weather for December 16th - it was warm, and the drizzle stopped by noon. 

I rode Blondie first, and all was peachy until D told me to canter.  It's been, what, 6 months since I've asked her to canter, and she, of course, refused.  Today was the most frustrating riding session I've had in a long time.

After grabbing mane, whacking the shit out of her with the crop, and kick, kick, kicking, I realized that the next time I ride her I have to use spurs again.  She spun around on me twice, almost unseating me, and slipped (on what, I don't know), almost dumping me over her head.  Yes, this was a lovely ride!

Then the nightmare continued, with Woody.  I have never had a problem getting him to canter.  Until today, that is.  What an awful lesson!  I think even D was amazed at the utterly crappy way I was riding.  I think I was so psyched out by Blondie I would have had a hard time getting Harley to canter.  I feel thoroughly defeated.

M said that part of the problem might be that I've only been riding the "push button" horses for a while, and I think that she's right.  The horse I really need to ride is Blondie, if I'm going to show her this season.  I need to feel more comfortable riding her. As is was today, I was so flustered by the end of the lesson that I couldn't even get her to walk correctly.

Argh!  I hate horses today!