Enjoyment at Canter

Good news! The introduction to my thesis (currently hovering around 40 pages of writing- 50 pages including title page, abstract, my own table of contents with hyperlinks because it's impossible to navigate, and 5-6 pages of references) is nearly finished.

I will be done with the introduction by the end of next week and it will be turned into my advisor while I start the rather more difficult analysis portion of my thesis. Luckily a lot of the articles I'm looking at I already went over in my introduction so most of this is just filling in what I already know, categorizing everything into a ridiculously large table (that won't fit on one or maybe even two pages, how the hell is it going to be printed?!), and beginning the arduous process of critiquing the literature and the theory.

I'm torn between feeling like wanting to hug the thing because it's the greatest thing (not the longest thing... yet) I've ever written and/or wanting to print it out and set it on fire just to see it destroyed while I laugh maniacally at it. I may or may not be having a big bonfire after I turn it in. If it ever gets turned in.

To celebrate hitting the "halfway" (hahahaha) mark, some of my
favorite thesis related cartoons

Wednesday I got a late start to the day but it was nice and cool so that wasn't a problem at all. Now if only it would rain a little bit...

TC was back to normal on the ground, stood patiently while I brushed and tacked him up. He also didn't yank his feet out of my hands or try to lay down while I was picking them. Progress! Or just a good day amidst some crazy days.

Our ride ended up being quite fun. He started out a bit resistant because we rode with Ali and TC is obsessed with knowing where her horse is at all times. I had to kick him into gear a few times before he connected and felt great.

This legitimately happened to some of my friends, except they
have to resubmit in the summer! WTF!

He was about even on both sides, which made changing directions really fun. I could put him into the new outside rein easily (well, we had some issues to the left but he responded well to a small circle and spiraling out so that was easily resolved) and he's getting so easy to ride off of my seat and leg alone.

To the right, I've been addressing moving him off of my left rein and leg, mostly due to the issues we've had in the canter. He's easily manageable in the trot and walk, but I wanted him to be even lighter off my left thigh and rein. So I found myself automatically playing with the first few basic points of walk pirouettes. There was no bend and I'm sure the mechanic was wrong, but I wanted him to essentially keep his haunches where they were (without sticking of course) while I moved his shoulders in front of them. I like that more than trying to push his haunches behind his shoulders.

Basically every time I work on my thesis

This helped tremendously at the canter to the right. Actually, both leads were downright FUN to ride. He's been progressing in the canter really well lately and I seem to be keeping track of it by describing in a dramatic fashion how it feels like to ride:

- at first he felt like both of us were going to die at any point, like he was going to somersault over his face and land on my body and murder me while breaking his own neck
- then he felt like we were merely going to fall over, usually to the inside but occasionally on his face, but I would probably live and he may not break his neck
- then he felt like we were only going to fall over in corners but the rest was uncomfortable, corners became something to fear and long sides felt like I was riding a boulder down a mountain
- then he was uncomfortable all the time, like riding said boulder
- then it was just mild frustration at lack of steering and occasional uncomfortableness
- NOW it's getting fun

He's so much more balanced and comfortable. For the first time, especially left, but we got moments to the right too, I felt like I could relax into the saddle. Normally I feel like I'm having to run around collecting his limbs and putting them back on his body before one flies off again and I have to run after it. No time to relax. No fun.

This is the most true thing I've ever read, I'm on
Thesis_Draft_2.3 right now

But it was actually fun. Except when he went cantering sideways after Ali's horse, but hopefully that will go away soon... I let him be done with that, as there no point in pushing him for more.

On the way back to the barn, he demonstrated how much of a good boy he is. After Monday's ride where he took off out of the riverbed, this time he quietly walked out without even thinking of trotting/cantering out, even when Ali's horse was ahead of us. He just wants to be good. He wants to have fun and all, but his main goal in life (right now...) is to make me happy.

Rico's main goal was to do the least amount of work possible, it's kind of a nice change. But don't tell Rico.

This is the sole reason why I manage to keep up with this blog

Trail ride on Friday!! Job interview in 25 minutes!