Tuesday, November 28, 2006

worked hard

lunging

i decided we'd done enough riding the last three days so we needed to do a bit of flat work or lunging.

was undecided whether to lunge one rein or two, but decided one, to get back into the way of it with the bitless bridle on

started left, a debate about going right which i won but she was rushing it at first, back left, then an argument about going right - she tripped herself into the fence whilst arguing about it, but clearly not having hurt herself i made her do it.
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she had certainly worked hard .....

and i remembered (don't know how i forgot on friday when she was sodden with rain!) that she has a fleece - - i suppose because it had been put away after being cleaned ... so she got that on to help wick the sweat away and keep her warm betimes.

it's going to be a cold night, and even when she cooled down she was still a bit damp, so the fleece got left on for the night ... it'll be filthy in the morning.

on the saddle front, i think i'm going to go back to the gelpad underneath .... was discussing it with gaynor, she said it didn't 'float' as much with that on as without ... but not wholly satisfactory - i think it wouldn't be so bad if the grandeur pad had a smooth fabric finish rather than the furry finish it does have .... but i think i'm going to have to have a concentrated effort to sell the GP, then sell the cheyenne and invest in a fhoenix .... don't see much choice, as it clearly is wholly unsatisfactory to have a rub on her back .....

but anyway i was pleased with her

and i think she's becoming pleased with herself.

she's so much happier with the stable mirror up and the hay bar in the corner ..

1 comment:

Jean said...

I like your comment about her becoming pleased with herself. Once she discovers how much fun it is to have you pleased and how good it feels to do things right, I think she will come around.

I know it has become more and more important to Tucker over time. First he had to get over the young horse ego and begin to realize the world did not revolve solely around his wants. Now, when I ride, he genuinely tries to please me. He still throws tantrums, but when I praise him for correcting himself, he is quite satisfied with himself.

It's a long way from riding a horse to developing a partnership.