Buckets and buckets

We've had three days of hard rain, topped off with a monsoon yesterday. It's flooding everywhere! I wasn't sure if I was going to make it to the barn yesterday.

Casino the tb gelding asks, "Got any spare water wings for me?"

I was proud of how Dakota handled the screaming wind and sideways rain. He was pretty high at first, but after a minute he settled down and was his steady self. I've found the key to getting a united left canter depart every time: in addition to shortening the outside side rein, I've found that I need to keep a steady feel on the lunge line and ask for the depart only when he gives me a nice inside flexion. If I get lazy about that, he pops his inside shoulder and goes into a disunited canter. Now that I've gotten the right feel, I'm not seeing any more disuniting. He's getting very strong and balanced in canter in both directions; I think we're ready to start work on canter under saddle.

Here's a shot from today. There's not supposed to be any water there.