We isn't working this afternoon.

Ooh, nobody wanted to work this afternoon !  Ace refused to come out of the stable and Radar just kept trying to go back to his. The sun was - wait for it - hot! And they  just  couldn't be bothered.

When I did get Ace working he was throwing a right paddy at the barrels, which I had to work very hard to avoid reacting to, but I'll take a pat on the back for succeeding. I have a lot more patience than I did when I was younger, thank goodness. He did eventually just trot past without hardly a murmur.

Then he was running into his medium trots and had to be constantly rebalanced. He did the same in the canters.  I was pleased with getting any quality of work out of him at all.

Radar just did not want to walk. Every time I released the reins he just went into trot. Wouldn't bend, wouldn't relax, wouldn't give to the bit. I got off and changed his bit from a French link to a Myler copy. It's a much thinner bit and very hard for him to set onto and that made quite a big difference. It's also a D ring, so I can move his head  by bringing my hand out sideways, which is a big help if he is simply ignoring the leg.

I am working tomorrow but we have E40 booked for Wednesday. I'll just go and look
out my hipflask!

C