Happy Essa-versary! (Yeah, that's dumb)

So it's been 6 months with Essa.  I started going back through the blog, and I'm happy to have a record of our progress - some days are awesome, some are terrible, most are just regular days.  I've tried to "train" her every day, even if it's just the repetition of grooming, turn-out and turn-in routines.  I'm fortunate to have a horse (Cody) with the manners that I aspire to for her.  She is much less of a hazard to herself and others!

It's been slow going, mostly because of that pesky day-job that allows me to indulge in all of this.  But that's OK.  I've found some great resource books that have really helped, along with all the Google searches for this, that and the other thing.

We had a great lunging session last night, even after a few weeks off.  More of the same, just walk/trot both directions with side reins - not a bit of drama.  (I've gotten better at lunging too!)  She's really starting to act like a horse that I'd consider ACTUALLY RIDING.

The flax seems to be working - she was insanely sun-bleached over the summer but her winter coat is coming in dark and shiny!

So here's the before-and-after shots:

I hope I NEVER see a horse looking like this ever again

Hard to believe, right?  She's still pretty nippy and cranky when it comes to tacking up - even trying on blankets.  But I think we can work with that.  Here's to the next six months!