Counting chickens...

I've always heard the admonition, "Don't count your chickens before they hatch," and thought it was cute - maybe not totally helpful in any given situation, but cute. 

I'm struggling not to do that!  Obe has been fantastic so far this winter.  Compared to last winter, she's a different horse.  Taking her off grain has changed the crazy factor completely.  Even though the horses have been in their stalls less than last year, there have been a couple of stretches where she's been trapped inside for several days in a row because of rain and mud.  And yet, she hasn't climbed the rafters, pretended to be Spirit, Stallion of the Cimmaron, or attempted to off load me in a bucking spree. 

Another factor in her attitude change has been clicker training.  I started it a little over a month ago, and I've been more than impressed with how much she's changed.  The extra feedback of the click/treat cycle has changed her willingness to try.  She's much more forward...especially in the first trot I pick up during warm up.  Traditionally, that's been when the "suck back and rear" phenomenon has happened; since clicker training, she's much more loose, forward and stretching through her neck and body.  She's such a busybody and worry wart that I think the more I can give her various forms of feedback, the better she is.  A simple, "good girl" and pat just haven't been enough.  But now that she knows the click is "her sound," she's listening for it and trying for it.  I love it...seriously, I love it. 

So, I'm trying not to count my chickens...yet.  I'm hoping to get her off the farm for a couple of lessons "away" with Debra in February.  Then, there are a couple of schooling shows in Tryon in March that I would like to do before heading out to our first recognized show in April.  With the way she's been acting, I'm actually excited to get out and about and see how it works.  But, that's getting awfully close to counting those chickens who haven't yet hatched.  I really don't want to waste a ton of money on a recognized show just to find out that my horse is completely unrideable.  So, hopefully, some off-campus lessons and a couple of schooling shows can help me have a clearer picture of how many chickens I have.  ;)