The sunshine returned and so did my enthusiasm!
Chapsi and I took a walk up the lane after lumch, the first time for weeks due to the bad weather. We had an uneventful departure and aside from the odd snort we made it up to the turn into the woods without incident. We took our time and practised halts and standing still (oh that one is so hard) and double backed a couple of times...all of which he accepted wih good grace. The return journey started well but about half way home he panicked a bit and started calling. With hindsight it was probably a bit too long for our first outing in a while but we made it home in one piece and he really was pretty good considering how seldom he leaves the others.
I then took Moo in the school for some in-hand work; loosening the shoulders and quarters and some general stretching work. Then I got on and we worked similar exercises mounted. Sometimes his excess energy drives me nuts and it's a big effort not to be distracted by it but today I almost shut my eyes (truly only almost) and 'felt' where to move him...halt, rein back, yielding, shoulder-in, counter shoulder-in and it felt really good. Just finding the area he was avoiding working with and putting him into a position that worked that area, nothing exciting but oh it felt so lovely to be working 'properly' again.
The weather so far this winter has been dire for working outside, unlike last year, and it's driving me nuts; hope this dry spell may last at least a little while longer. Hope you all can enjoy some decent weather to play horses.
3 comments:
it's good being able to visualise where you are talking about...
and it's interesting how much more we are aware of with feel.. i remember once being asked to ride with my eyes shut, very scary! not sure where end of arena was or where i was in it.. but you can tell what's happening a lot better!
Glad you're had a break in the weather, it's frustrating for both people and horses to be confined to quarters. Even with 24/7 turnout our pair are becoming a little stir-crazy!
Got out for a ride yesterday - sun shining and roads dry and safe. Very pleasantly surprised at how relaxed and well behaved the horses were. Just did the village (about 3 miles of roads) as bridleways rather muddy and nasty. No snow left and fields are back to green, well muddy green.
Manege should be finished by the end of the week - if weather holds! But who knows? It has been a disaster from the very beginning. But if it is ready to use by Friday/Saturday, there will be no one happier than me!!
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