Here are a photo and video of Violet and Emily, taken on January 3rd, during one of their soft sweet workouts. I just love my obliging intelligent thoroughbred. I'm writing this entry on January 29th and Vi and I have had a bumpy few weeks. She's kind of had it with the boring indoor arena and I just can't stop being stiff and rough on her. I know that I'm punishing her more than I ought for being stiff and peeking at the gates, so we are just not much having fun together. But every once in awhile, when I go out just for a sweet quick quiet ride or to Pessoa or lunge her, I see the glimmer of my sweet quiet thoughtful intelligent social girl. Like today. I went out to the barn early before my riding lesson with Jill Jewett. Violet was standing quietly in the cross ties, minding her own business, and she just was quiet and agreeable and sensible about her Pessoa workout and then her riding. We rode just for a quick ten minutes on a loose loose rein, so she could trot and canter both directions and do a few turns on her haunches and forehand. And she was wonderful. And then I saw her later that morning and she was standing quietly with practically a smile on her calm face, as the farrier was working on her hooves. I do love my sweet thoughtful girl. Even if we are in our winter blue doldrums!