Remy, the poster-boy - and several "Voila!"

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

This year Remy was the poster-boy for our Christmas card. The glint of mischief in his eye is pretty catching --

Last week Judy was away to train with Jan, and Maryal came for a day to teach, trying to keep us on the straight and narrow. No surprise regarding the work, just a different way of explaining certain things. For example, in the effort to comply with "more outside rein!" I actually blocked Remy by clamping down on the outside. So Maryal asked me to keep Remy more supple on the outside and bend him more around my inside leg - which got him honestly on the outside rein. Voila!

Both Remy and Saumur had an appointment with the chiropractor. Saumur had been worrying me for a while because he was salivating so much the saliva was accumulating in his feed tub after every meal. His teeth were recently checked, and Saumur seemed fine otherwise. Well, it turned out his jaw was out of alignment. Voila! after the adjustment: Normal salivation. Remy's shoulders needed adjustment, and voila! better canter departs.

I had a lovely Christmas lunch with my friend Glenda, one of the most educated horsewomen I know. (Not to mention she also was a JAG-lawyer, and is pretty stunning).  One of the things Glenda mentioned stuck with me: "Learn the rules like a professional, then you can break them like an artist."

So, now if I break the rules I have an excuse,  I'll just say "I am breaking them like an artist!" Voila!