Woody outing postponed.

The hunt venue has changed, and they have also changed it to an Introduction day instead of a Children and Beginners.

This means that the land we are to go over will be much more challenging than the C&B meet, which is all flat stubble or  fenced off field margins.  It also means that it will be faster.  I think that it is asking for trouble for a horse so newly into his rehab for Woody to go slipping and sliding around on unlevel ground at speed.

On top of that, the weather forecast is for rain all day and I am in no fit state to sit in the rain for 3 hours.

I have decided that it makes no sense to go, and could be risking big setbacks for both of us. It's shame, but Woody didn't know (I hadn't told him) so he won't be disappointed :-) :-) :-)

I'm having a bit of a relapse today.  I have ridden Ace, but I can't find the energy to go out in the wind and do Radar. I know he needs the work but I start to cough the moment I step into that wind.

Ace was lovely, very pent up and wanting to do more than walk in the barn. I tried some shoulder in and it was smashing on what is usually his worse rein. On the other rein, he was getting stiffer in the back and I decided not to argue with him about it, but to teach him rein back instead. We did four, each one with a little better understanding and stepping back than the last.

I halt him with his nose at the wall, so he cannot mistake that I want him to move forwards. Then I use the "back" voice command that he knows from the floor, coupled with a lift of the seat and a leg aid from well back on his sides. I started by rewarding a shuffle away from the wall, and on the 4th attempt I had a clear backwards single step. So I was happy with that progress, it will be easy to turn that into 4-6 steps anywhere in the barn.

Now I'm off to my duvet in front of the telly.

C