second gift

My second gift (trade off with Patrick who has had new camera gear) arrived today; the Lexington (remember I tried Di's) is a treeless, yet another venture into the dark for me.

I've been thinking about all the new information I've been processing these last months and wondering if it's all been a positive experience? I sometimes wonder why one would want to change at such a ripe age and if indeed it is possible to change? I think I can and have changed in many ways but I think I've given up some confidence to pay for it. I don't mean confidence to ride fast, get on nut case neds etc.because  to be honest I've never had that sort of confidence; I mean the confidence to know where I'm going and what I'm doing. It's a hard path I think I'm taking because I'm not sure that it will take me anywhere; I'm not after sympathy because after all it is MY choice.

Ah well the next stage is set, the saddle is prepared and tomorrow we'll begin.

Well having got the new laptop set up I thought I'd be back to regular blogging....nah!
Couldn't get the new message page to load *bangs head against a hard place*
Yesterday was a bit of a write off after the previous day sat in the sunshine sharing wine and barbecue with Di and Chris; rather too much wine I'm afraid. Still it was a lovely day in spite of the next days hangover.
Anyway, I digress, the messaging problem; turns out that the kind people at Firefox have a great blocking system so I used it. Said system also blocked me from downloading my new message page!!! Smell a GOOGLE adsense rat??? I think so.
 For a total tech idiot it's taken me so long to sort this semmingly minor problem out so it's just a couple of pics tonight.

Chapsi at liberty.........

Patrick getting the hay in....

normal service may well be resumed

Well I finally caved in and forked out on a new laptop. Although not the only reason that I've struggled to blog recently, it is certainly the main culprit; I've been lucky to get a minute to check forums and blogs but hardly enough time to actually be productive. So now I have no excuses.
I have ordered my Barefoot Lexington and it should be here within the week. I need to get the saddler out again to re-adjust Moo's saddle as he has finally started to change shape and whilst I intend to use the Barefoot on him I would like to keep the treed saddle in case I can ever convince anyone to hack out with me!

Both boys had a few days off last week a I was back in the UK to sort out some family things but we've picked up the threads again with some in-hand and lunging. Moo's canter on the lunge is now established enough that I can work on the quality and he seems very happy in the work. Chapsi is also lunging well and finds the canter pretty easy, his trot is somewhat ordinary at the moment but shows moments of brilliance...thank goodness the trot is so able to be improved. Lydia sat on him bareback the other day and I think it won't be long before she tries to steal him!!
 

turn it up

Hangin'

lazy bone bloggin'

brief

Hmmm, I'm trying to be a good blogger (better than being a bad b*gger) but my lil' 'ol lap top is just about biting dust :-( So I have to wait my turn to use someone else's.

Fab weather and good work from the boys. Chapsi walked figures of 8 with pretty good rein changes and Moo lunged the best relaxed trot AND.....trot/canter trannies with no effort and actually seemed to be very happy to be doing so.

more birthday celebrations

This morning we had a brief respite from the perma-rain (fear not it has returned on and off all day) and so I took Moo down to the school. Well that sounds way too simple; in fact prior to coming in he had rolled in the muddiest bit he could find and was disgustingly damp and dirty. Oh well, so after brushing off under the saddle and bridle areas we finally got down to the school.
Again slightly different today. After mounting we walked with buckle-reins and halted regularly, after a dozen or so halts (using seat/leg/weight and if necessary voice) we halted and I laid the reins on his neck and checked my watch for 1 minute, he remained motionless (incredibly) and so I clicked and treated and off we went to repeat.
I took the same 'feel' into the trot work, reins on the buckle, neck reining  and seat/weight/ legs to turn and keep it slow.
He worked really well and after 30 minutes we were stretching down and could work a figure of eight without rushing or leaning...it is still fragile, I could lose it at any moment (and do regularly, lol) but it's coming.
Rain stopped play with Chapsi so we just had a quick in-hand wander up the lane.

As it was Patrick's birthday today we went  to les Voyageurs and ate lunch from the menu gastronomique...I chose the trio of foie gras then noix de St Jaques followed by the cheese trolley and sablee de poire et pomme with caramel ice cream. It was all divine and the service the best you can find around here. Now I'm stuffed but have to consume pink bubbles....just to be sociable of course.