January Blues

I am writing this on the last day of January, and am fighting the January blues.

January blues seems to be an annual event. Every year,

Note the air conditioner in the tack room window.  In January.

To help inspire my winter training, I went to the FEI Conference in Wellington. The conference goes a long way towards keeping my training fresh. But it also creates another problem -- I'm not Florida. Seeing how the other half lives is fun, but coming home to look at my snow covered pastures, cold arena, and ice covered roof is decidedly underwhelming. Somehow, every year, I need to keep my chin up.

This year, the January blues hit fast. We had beautiful weather, and then we have 30 inches of snow. My ride list currently includes many inexperienced horses. And the snow is falling off the roof.

That small red dot in the distance is the
stop sign at the end of our road.

About the time I started to get comfortable on what my mom refers to as “the pity pot,” I wrapped myself in my electric blanket, turned on my little space heater, and huddled l in the corner of the arena to teach lessons.

Snow on the roof is, well, terrifying. 

As I sat there, talking about the different components of dressage, I watched my students ride.  I watched one student, after struggling with canter confidence for years, learn to put her horse on the bit in all three gaits. Then I watched another student have a lightbulb moment over the feel of correct flexion, and bring her young horse from first level to a solidly uphill balance. Then I watched another student begin to understand how frequent, small half halts translate to riding the hind leg on her schoolmaster.

After I finished teaching, I wandered out to the field to check on the young horses. As the young men are fighting for my attention, I am finding it very, very hard to be blue.

Plus, we added this to our lives. That should dispel the January blues.

The 'as yet unnamed' puppy