At last!
I have some energy. So I spent it having some fun.
Radar and I have thrown ourselves with glee around the farm ride, in the sunshine!! Miraculous. He was his usual self, always wanting to be going that bit faster than I did, but I am far from complaining, it's joy to be on a forward thinking horse who just lives to move. We jumped a fair few things, all the bigger ones that were worth doing, and we cantered for several miles of the six we did. The farm ride is 5 miles long in the winter but we sneak in an extra circuit of the first loop :-)
It was a complete joy to be out and about again.
Before we went I took Woody out for his medicinal roadwork and we had the nicest hack we have ever done. He has started to accept rein aids as guidance to be worked with, instead of an irritation to fight. he is also now trusting me a lot more, and I can stop him hyperventilating just by talking to him, which is a huge step forward. As I suspected, he is not natually lazy at all, and is beginning to become quite forward going now that he understands that rein contact is there to be worked into and not backed off. He didn't even argue with me when we got to the gate! The improvements are exceptionally pleasing because I hadn't felt that our schooling in the barn was achieving anything, but clearly it has.
So, a great day. I even feel like riding Ace, but I don't think I'll push my luck. I'll go and have a lie down instead.
C
Better to take a rest after all the excitement. I was beginning to think the weather was going to spoil all your Radar outings for months. So happy you got out on him to have some fun.
ReplyDeleteGood news again about Woody. By Spring you should be well on your way to making another dressage horse--this time one that jumps too!!
I have some plans up my sleeve about a dressage horse who jumps Jean *wink* Roll on spring :-)
ReplyDeleteC