Riding alone and the equine herpes lock down

We riders have semi quarantined our horses since the first news of the highly contagious EHV two weeks ago.  I am grateful that my 2 horses, Banner and Isadora are healthy. They are hanging out at home and being ridden by me in my arena. I love my arena and the footing is excellent.
I have scratched from events, and shows have been postponed. Since my husband Steve is a treating veterinarian, I am privileged to have a private consultant on the matter.   I refrain from entering events until June 5.  I don't haul anywhere but trail rides where there are usually no other equines around.
It's been down time and time to reflect on training and where I am with these two.   I have been helping Mary Kimball work her WB's and gotten several good dressage lessons in a row.

Dressage is, "harmonious development of horse and rider".

Banner has a big muscle underneath his neck and his topline could be stronger.  Now that there is time and I don't worry about 3 day events ahead, I  concentrate better on his roundness, looseness, harmony, engagement etc.  He increases his stride length off my seat much better. It makes him much more fun to ride and my feet and legs are staying in position more effectively.
Isadora is new and fun to train. She has been a trail horse but not a good one because she jigs.  She is tense when I first mount up, so we use the time to walk, trot do transitions so she relaxes.  She is coming along well and does not pull. She has the personality of an event horse and thinks highly of herself  She is 3/4 TB, 1/4 Clydesdale, so she is bred well for eventing. She is 15.2 hands high. I like athletic small horses.

I look forward to each training day and make riding them a priority in day's good weather window when the wind isn't wailing.

I ride alone here which some people think is not wise.  I always have. If I didn't, my horses would not get trained/ ridden.  I use common sense and don't get on them until they are ready.  They must be relaxed and focused on me first.  I lunge them to achieve that.

 Music has been fun too.  I rehearse just about every day for 1 hour or more and have gotten some summer gigs.   Please visit my new website at  http://www.miaedsall.com/

Happy riding, even in the quarantine!   

Banner and Boyd Martin at Rebecca Farms 2010

Getting Settled

4/10/11

It's nice to be back home in the beautiful, cold Wood River Valley of Idaho and catch up with friends and family.  Steve and I drove to Bozeman, Mt. for Mother's Day weekend and visited his family.  I got to particiapte in a string band workshop put on by the Montana Fiddlers group in historic and beautiful Pony, Mt..  I hope to attend Weiser, Idaho fiddler extravaganza the week of June 22.  I love the jams and hot licks I find at these festivals.
Banner is doing really well. I am brushing up on dressage and conditioning once per week.  He is fit and happy.  I have entered the Woodside Event and plan to leave for Cal on May 23rd.
There is not much work or music gigs for me here.  I have a new student tommorrow at Rafter K's cross country course and am confident there will be more.
I am riding and working Mary Kimaballs WB's for her. She has lots of them ages 3-7.  I get dressage lessons from her which I need.
I'm most content to be riding lots of horses.
No Cheap Horse's Band lives on. Gerard and I are getting gigs for summer with our drummer, Jason.  I am enjoying the rehearsals very much.
Happy spring if we ever get it!