Boy doings

The last few days have been interesting, horse-wise, here at Kentish Towers. First it was T who was so excited that the mares were coming into season, while Q could care less; then it was Q becoming a stresshead to the extent that I had to close his top door to stop him spending the whole night weaving. Interesting how it never seems to be both of them at the same time.
What has been goo though is that it has given me the opportunity to ask them to come away from the mares while they were excited by them, grunting and waving their fifth legs, which can be a dangerous thing to do but they took it in their stride and for my part I expected nothing else. Very proud of them.

I've also been toying with the idea them being out 24/7 now that the weather has picked up and the paddocks have been reseeded, harrowed and rolled. I wanted to give the grass time to get going before that, so we gave it two or three weeks.

Yesterday I rode Q and he began coming in a bit concerned about leaving everyone even though I told him they'd still be there when he came back but then settled quickly for grooming and tacking up. We did some work in hand to begin with, just a little shoulder in on either rein, then I got on. After reading Elaine's clinic report I had the idea of collected elbows firmly wedged in my head and with that in mind we set about lateral work, moving between shoulder in, travers, renvers, then on to HP and walk pirouettes.

In spite of the fact that he was a bit distracted to start he settled very well and was really quite available in both the body and mind sense, making for a very enjoyable and productive experience.

The trot work interspersed changes of "frame" between collected and stretchy trot.

We spent more time in canter, first working and then collecting, ending up with reinback to canter in which I really felt him sit through some very smooth transitions. Quite a marked development and we used this to our advantage by working on 6m voltes and then on. The reason for this specifically is to help him develop collection and strength for canter work at the long reins. And also because it is good for him and very enjoyable. I do tend to do better though when there is a purpose to what I do and it did help to inform the session.

During this time I dedicated a few brain cells to my posture to be as tall and collected myself as possible (yes yes, even when only 5'2) and to maintain those collected elbows. Lovely ride, he was a superstar. It had that contemplative feel to it of shared time enjoyed together and that is the thing I love most about riding.

Next I rode T and we went through a four leaf clover exercise changing bend on a series of 10m circles, and looking at flexion on both reins. We had done a brief warm up of the straightening exercises in walk and trot and I wanted to reproduce that under saddle. We did this in both walk and trot and there was more relaxation from the outset of the trot work and I found myself riding more positively. This is partly to do with the fact that I asked Rui if he found him more difficult to ride in trot at first and he said "no" so we reasoned it was probably tension from me. Knowing that I took more ownership of it and it did produce a more positive work from the outset. I find I am no longer afraid to change the rhythm and ask him to move forward, and find myself much more confident overall, which has its positive impact on him.

I did try a canter and we had half a circle twice but then he broke to trot. I am pretty sure that this was because I was a bit tense in the contact and he is very sensitive to that, so it was a bit crap but the point is that it's a start and we did it and our first forays into trot were also crap, so instead I take comfort from the fact that my big girl pants were more easily accessible and that it will come. He coped very well bless him. I was pleased with the good bits and particularly the positive trot work and know that the next step needs work, and that's OK.

They had their first night out last night and all seems quiet this morning, not least because I haven't got any mucking out to do. Yay!

Meanwhile work is ongoing and there is no shortage of Stuff To Do. I love it here and I love the fact that there is always a lot to do, and every now and again comes a moment of pure bliss such as sitting on the patio yesterday morning eating free range bacon and freshly laid eggs from the next village, drinking coffee, enjoying the morning sun and knowing that the boys were grazing nearby.