I love Fridays and how they stretch ahead like a long stretchy thing full of promise, even if they're never quite as long as stretchy as most of us would like them to be. I planned to do some crap but necessary domestic stuff to give me a head start on the weekend but in fact we got a Chinese takeaway, I had a pint of John Smiths and was ready for bed by 10pm. Typically this is what the working week does to me. It's a sad state of affairs.
There's been a lot of discussion on the stallion list about housing that enables them to talk to each other over barriers and as a result of that I've been thinking of more face to face time for my lads. Back when we were on livery I'd always tie Q outside T's stable, thinking Q was the most possessive of his space. Whether that was the case at the time or not, circumstances now are that I have to tie T outside Q's, and the last couple of sessions have been very productive. Lots of snorting, squealing and striking, but also some sweet things, like Q very delicately sniffing all over T's face. Considering the snorting etc as normal boy stuff without it necessarily meaning murders does put whole different slant on the interaction, and it's nice to see them enjoy it.
I don't know what possessed me to think cramming in a gastronomic extravaganza to an already packed schedule was a good idea for Saturday night - I believe it to be a particularly virulent form or optimism. The menu:
mushroom risotto
roast lamb with potatoes dauphinoise and green beans
strawberries marinated in some orangey brandy thing with meringues and chantilly cream.
Sounds fab doesn't it? Yet it was one of those nights where nothing really turns out as good as it should have, which was a bit of an arse. I may have peaked too early on the not insubstantial quantities of wine that I drunk, possibly, which may have had something to do with it. A good night anyway but am no longer cut out for sitting up until 3am.
Especially when there I was up at 7.30 to see to the boys. Made up for it by going back to bed for a while then making a giant fry up and spending a pleasant couple of hours reading - The Rapture.
Finally decided to take the boys next door today to use the neighbour's arena, on one of the wettest, skankiest days in a wet and skanky winter. Q first and my was I glad I worked him in hand first when I witnessed the acrobatics he had up his sleeve. He felt extremely "up" and buzzy when I got on and there followed a conversation about levels of attention with a series of lateral work in walk, which helped some but I also knew he just wanted to MOVE so off we went. God, so, so, so nice to have a proper arena to ride in and we made the most of it with some big extensions across the diagonal - loved it. So did he. Some very nice canter although a bit sticky right lead depart at times; solved that with milling then ask which produced a better transition. Plies better to the right than the left. Piaffe is coming, and nice to be able to see a bit of tuck with the help of the mirrors. Haven't enjoyed riding so much in ags :)
T next - who thought there was a horse chasing him when he caught sight of himself in the mirrors. Also much energy to expend and he came out with some jaw dropping extensions - in fariness so did I, trying to keep up with him. Did some lateral work in hand; LY, SI, milling and finished with piaffe. Was hoping to use mirrors put am so short, coulddn't see from the ground - dommage.
Very pleased indeed with both of them - a great afternoon.
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