Not much of a winter, so far, in Central Texas.  While northern states are pummelled with snow and wind, we are having spring-like sunny days, with an occasional rain.  I wonder when the other shoe will fall?

The good news, however, is that the break in the weather has allowed us to build obstacles and do work in the arena and the stables to prepare for the upcoming clinic of Working Equitation to be taught by Diona Fisher, from Europe.

Yesterday, as I was prowling pasture on a client’s horse, I realized that daily ranch work is indeed an informal course in working equitation.  I opened and closed at least seven gates horseback.  I crossed three streams, some with steep banks and sucking mud.  I crossed a bridge, wound through brush and wait-a-minute vines, and even had to back out between some deadfall logs before stepping over them.  We had to move a few heifers from one pasture to another, and that required walk-trot, canter-trot, and stop-and-back-up transitions, in addition to several quick reverses.  This is a sport which comes very close to imitating reality, at least for ranchers and cowboys.