Toe warmer weather

The snow was mostly gone by the time I got out of work yesterday, but the chill remained. Unsettling to go from t-shirt weather on Saturday to toe-warmer bundle up weather Monday. Unsettling, but not too odd for northern New England. It gave me a chance to test my mettle by riding all bundled up for the first time in ages. I figure if I ride at least two nights a week, longer rides on the weekend, plus a lesson a few times a month, I can keep Clover in a minimal state of fitness over the winter. Just getting on, moving her around and keeping it short and simple--warming up, doing a little bit at all three gaits, stretching her down. It was in the low 30s last night, I got to the barn and Julia asked if I was riding and pronounced me crazy when I said I was. Heh. That ain't nuthin'--I used to ride in sub-zero weather. I think my cut off's going to be in the 20s depending on windchill.

Clover was a good enough girl, though. A little hesitant-spooky with the things in the back of the indoor and the wind hitting the side of the indoor and whistling through the cracks, but I worked on bending lines, circles, transitions (alternating w/t on half circle), some leg yields along the wall and then a couple from corner to center. Some canter and stretching down to finish up.