reiki

and I found out yesterday that a woman I know is qualified to do Reiki - level 2, she won't move on to be a Reiki master - so I've asked her to come out and see Molly... if I'm going to go alternative, might as well make a job of it and you never know....

flowers in the rain

those of us of a certain age (and probably the rest of the world as well!) will remember this, The Move's first hit.

i didn't know until yesterday that they have never earned a penny from it in royalties, because their manager was an idiot who'd never heard of libel laws - managed to libel harold wilson, the then prime minister, in a cartoon publicizing the song, they ended up before HH Judge Melford Stevenson.... result, royalties to charity.

This wikipedia article refers; I found out when listening to Radio 4 on Saturday...and if you have real player you can listen again here

a bit too late to appeal, unfortunately...

busy weekend & loads of piccies...

but first something hilarious a bear stuck under a very high bridge...

anyway, the weekend began very early yesterday when I had to rescue a live mouse from the younger cat (I'd been woken by the noise being made as cat chased mouse round downstairs... as you are!)

Went to feedstore/saddlers to collect clean rugs, new headcollar for molly, feed for queenie, then to the yard.

The plan yesterday was long lining - in the bitless, as the other bridle is at home waiting to be cleaned and oiled! - and it shows how long it is since we did that, also that we hadn't been keeping up with our groundwork generally. Molly started giving me grief on right rein again. the good note to finish on was that I did get her going right, in walk at least, twice... with resolution for rope circling today.

Then home, changed, and off to Keswick for the night (partner's stayed there tonight, a walking weekend for her, and week for those who can get the week!). rented house at the very foot of Skiddaw, with Skiddaw behind us and looking from the terrace over Keswick to Cat Bells (actually, this pic is from slightly above the house, the ones I took from the house were a shade dark due to it being late and cloudy when I took them ... this was this morning at about 0900)
(couldn't see Grisedale Pike from the house due to a tree growing right in the line of sight). Good night had by all - and when we first arrived we went for a wander round Keswick and I found a Michael Peace/lesley Bayley book for £8 reduced from £20!). Apart from the amazing views, good food and company, the people who own the house have two small pigs from New Zealand; at first, one looked as though it might have been a Gloucester Old spot, but it was too small, and they weren't. They like carrots, apples, lettuce - she has no compost bin in consequence of having these two.Then came back this morning via Hartside Pass going to Allendale to see Queenie, drop the feed off etc. This is the view from Hartside looking back to Penrith & the Lakes:

Was pleased, as Queenie was in the stable so I could get a good look at her - groomed her as well! normally when I get there she's at the top of the field and either they won't come or it's wet, so was glad to get a close up view!


We think she'll do this winter, but rather think she won't do next. Position to be reviewed next summer. Compare with Molly, very little difference! it was quite funny, those of us who know both horses often call Molly Queenie, and today we found ourselves calling Queenie Molly! Oops.

Interesting chat about pelhams - the lass where Queenie is used to run the riding school up there, vastly experienced. She takes the same view as Heather Moffett on pelhams, agrees that they lighten and soften and thinks if I get it right it may well work for Molly. She suggested I try a ported pelham, so will go hunt. But will work on my hands/seat a bit more first, I think!

Then, to Throckley to visit Nicola & Ali G & Polo. Ali G is GORGEOUS. I did take a fair few pics - here's one, hope she doesn't mind, I've sent the rest to Nicola and no doubt she'll post some more!
Then back down to the yard, where molly & I went back to rope circling. She wasn't happy. But eventually did do it. It was interesting watching her thinking. I rather think she'd thought that I'd given up on this and that I'd decided to let her have her own way again. Not. So I was pleased with the work we did.

Finally got back home about 5 pm, and had a feed and some tea! dinner will be later....

and will edit later for photos.....

weeks like this

could do with an indoor.

i thought it would rain again tonight - and i was right, had i tacked up we would have got soaked fairly soon after starting any work!

There is an indoor on the estate, but it's at least a 15 minute hack! it has a yard attached, so if I REALLY wanted to i could see about moving up there, but I don't want to - it's very nice where I am, sheltered from teh worst of any gales, well off the main road, the stable is really good etc,.... so shall just moan instead!

still decemberish

and i was right in thinking it was going to rain again....

think molly's just debating how early she can come in......

any plans

I had for the night went out of the window with the decemberish weather - very cold, hard winter rain, euch. Molly's rugged up (she was amazingly dry!) having eaten her tea much quicker than normal (although it might be that I was busy sorting a cupboard out, rather than sitting watching her eat!)

a short ride

before it started raining again, which it looked as though it well might!

Didn't do as much as I'd have liked - someone else came into the school to lunge, and since she couldn't get her horse going (methinks it could do with someone like Max out....) whilst she wasn't getting in the way as such, it was a bit difficult to remain in one half of the arena as she was impinging on it! then someone else wanted to come in and do the same, and since I'd done 20 minutes by then i just left it there (bearing in mind it takes molly 1/2 hour to eat her tea!).

I'm concentrating on my hands being still, as I think I said the other day, and i think that's helping a lot. Not getting quite so much "set jaw"! in fact only one instance of it and that's probably because I wasn't thinking ahead of her enough.

I have, apparently, developed another bad habit according to my RI - looking TOO FAR round the bend when circling etc - I know why as well, because when Molly doesn't want to go the way I want, RI always said look the way you want to go (which sometimes ends up with me looking a long way round, if we're going totally the wrong way LOL). So also thinking about that.

My trot wasn't as good as recently, but not bad and I was able to get it back again without too much grief.

I think I also need to work on some mounted exercises for my legs to stretch my hips/thighs.

ground work tomorrow I think, and my bridle needs oiling (that's the new one). I didn't fully oil it when i bought it, bit of a mistook, just put the newly bought leather conditioner on and I really don't think that has the full desired effect!

AC's - anyone have a view on one who's been trained by distance learning?

autumn is here

with a vengeance - if you count the rain. although it was warm tonight. some of trh others were drying their horses off and rugging, but Molly was so warm, if i'd rugged she would have overheated.

i did the history last night as Caroline had asked a question and it occurred to me that a lot of Molly's history was scattered about, some of it on the previous blog which is probably now history (because i haven't kept it active at all, so it will have been deleted) so worth doing. probably would be useful if I could work out how to "pin" that ...

Anyway, jean, you had recommended an AC and my neighbour at the yard had had a local one out, and i had a chance to talk to her about it tonight uninterrupted by passing visitors (one advantage of a damp evening!!!!).

so I think I'll organise that, despite my scepticisim.... I think Kirstie's not one for having the wool pulled over her eyes, and I know you're not either jean, so i guess I won't lose anything except a few quid and might learn something!

bit of history

probably worth repeating since it's 3 years next Monday since I've had Molly.

I own her mother, Queen of Timber (Queenie), whom I bought in 1995 (October again!) when Molly's younger brother Fred was weaned. Bought from a friend, and of course I'd known Molly from when she was born, near enough.

Queenie was and is an uncomplicated mare - particularly impressive as she was ridden in a too narrow saddle from about 1986 until about 2001... good to do in all respects, not a nasty bone in her body. Her sire was Timber King, dam Maroyal. A chestnut mare, with a slight congenital asymmetry at the shoulder (I realised it was congenital when I found Molly had the same).

Molly is by Golden Lahab (a Blushing Groom stallion) who is also chestnut.

When Molly was 6 months, she was weaned - by being brought to the yard i was then on. Was turned out in field of strange horses, found staked that same afternoon, a few months box rest. then went home again to her owner. at 3 1/2 or so, she was in a wagon with another mare, turning into my RI's yard to be left to be backed. both mares went down (as I understand it now, the turn into the yard must have been taken a shade fast) and had really nasty leg injuries from the divider thingys also coming off and trapping them. Recovered from that and went back to owner, who backed her herself. said then owner/breeder had had loads of experience breeding/backing/bringing on so shouldn't have been a problem, but apparently there were always problems with 2 things - bitting, and right rein lunging....

Later, sent to owner's brother, who put his teenage child on and sent them out for a 10 mile ride - which came to an abrupt halt as Molly was said to have reared (I doubt that, she's not a rearer ... just does other things that could feel like that to an inexperienced youngster) and brother was apparently going to shoot her but instead sent her to another of breeder's friends. Said friend used to run riding school at Allendale, now works at Bardon Mill.

anyway, fast forwards to 2004. Queenie is 22, starting to show a bit of "sag" in the back, had had a nasty knee injury which happily didn't get infected the spring of that year, I was starting to think about retiring her.

So in the September called in at Bardon Mill (well known garden pot producer! seconds!) after a walk, got talking to Allison the friend, didn't know she worked there until that day! asked after Molly - she was trying to move her on, but worried about what to do given the history and couldn't sell her locally. Molly had by this time bred a very nice foal by a Connemara stallion. the foal, by the by, will now be 4 - was backed last year, did very well at her first few shows, will be a good working hunter pony we expect! no issues reported back by the people who backed her or the people who then bought her.

Alison thought Molly needed restarting.

I thought about it, and said if she'd give Queenie a retirement home, I'd take Molly. So she said yes, and that's what happened. Queenie does a useful job playing granny to various youngsters and generally being a companion.

And it's taken me to now to get her going right, be reasonably happy with her bit, to stand still when mounted and we're now working on acceptance of contact (which should start going better after going to HM's demo....). But, she won't go out on her own.

She's not shown much sign of tanking off and generally isn't hyper. but very very stubborn, and clearly some confidence issues remaining in terms of going out. she just plants herself, and turns round, setting her jaw.

she's never been on her own (so I got a stable mirror, worked a treat!) and that will have something to do with it, i expect. She did, apparently, hack out with her brother Fred being led, but how much of that I believe I don't know (well, I do - none of it.)

There's probably something that I don't know in there, but I'll never find out what it is, I don't think - breeder hasn't spoken to self or Alison since finding out I have Molly.

Anyway, she was good tonight - i got on no bother, worked on walk/trot transitions again, and on my hands (must get out of the habit of moving ALL fingers, just the little one will do!). forgot my watch, though, so don't know how long I was on!!!!

baaad molly

plan was for a hack out with julie on suzie. round the 20 acre was fine, then molly was first through the gate and napping up the lane and would not, whatever we did, head to the ford. head shaking all over theplace, bouncing about.... so we thought up the side of the geldings field. that was even worse and felt as though she was about to explode. so i got off and led her up, which at least got her up there and me some exercise. of course, i couldn't get back on so led her back to the yard and 1/2 later when julie came back was still trying to get on. of course, she then stood like a lamb whilstl julie held her head. plan then was get on, ride into the arena, do somethign right in there and call it a day. unfortunately, person had put pony in arena for turnout (it's laminitic, apparently - not my friend's katie that is definitely so, but another smaller older one that is). so i had to get off on the hard, which never pleases me because of my foot, but at least i'd got back on eventually.

what a c**.

we did wonder if she's in season. but it was hopeless. normally she'll follow another horse, but no way this time.

hope we go better tomorrow, friend's fetching her horse up from yorkshire for a ride out..

damp horse

it had rained a lot today - whislt it had stopped by the time i got to the yard, she still wasn't dry. so fed and out again!

plan is to ride out in the morning

and then friend is planning on fetching her horse up sunday for a ride, but i must go see YM first to ensure it's ok and see if she really wants to charge her (friend used to be on yard anyway...)

yes....

results ....

not so clever on moving the inside seatbone forward, but by the end i was getting some really nice walk trot and even better trot walk transitions.

at first, molly didn't like the fact that I'd changed what i do wiht my fingers/hands, but by the finish it was good.

and of course, she let me on! Guess it must have been the wind on sunday.

so build on that.

the more difficult bit was that i was gettiing somewhere with the legs last week, but today felt as though i couldn't stretch enough. Now i wonder what caused that then?

we stopped when someone wanted to look at molly's feet; she's just taken his shoes off and wanted to see what molly's are like. she was struck by Molly's hoof walls, which of course are strong. piper's will have some way to go. but he's gone lame, and she thought it might be a foot issue.

lesson time again

did it earlier today, since i had the day off (eventually got up again at 11, to the smell of freshly cooked bread, having set the breadmaker off at 8...)

so went up for lesson.

got Spuddie tacked up and into the indoor and got on and we set away - and he was lame! he had, apparently, been hoolying around the field this morning, to clearly sprained something.

So got jack out, who i'd never sat on before. Carole lunged him first - I said, I'm not lunging on him! but ordinary ridden he was fine (she says her working pupil hasn't beendoing a proper job, and that'll be right - never seen one of Carole's bronc like that on the lunge before ever). fantastic trot, apparenly he's half warmblood so a big trot.

So I just rode him (note to self, next time take my own reins, can't be doing with thick rubber reins!) and we worked on my position. my legs hurt by the finish (not assisted by the pulled muscle as I got out of the shower this morning...).

But the saddle. it doesn't help. If i get a seatbone saver for nothing else, it'll be to help with that! the stirrup bars are too forward set, that is clear, so keeping the right position is not easy.

I said at one point, I need my thighs straighter. She said, in time .... got to get other thigns right first. To me, I need to have the thighs straighter AND that'll help me get everything else right (including keeping the leg in the right place!).

But it does make a huge difference being on a balanced schooled horse.

This one, if you don't hold him together and keep the leg on, then on a downward transition you just suddenly stop. and his walk is snail pace....

But anyway, progress. Didn't go ride Molly - legs needed a rest. Just groomed and fed.

Hope the weather's as good tomorrow as it was today, it was gorgeous. annoyed really, didn't hang laundry out as it kept raining this morning, but I should have done, it would have been dry!

cheshire demo

here's what i've written about it (rather than writing it all again!!!)

really please i went, as I said when I got home, but the brain was a bit more awake this morning than when I came in in the early hours.

course it's raining, so i won't be able to put any of it into practice on molly by the look of it today. But i do have a lunge lesson tonight!

german

blogger are on to it:

here is the relevant thread from the techies...

heather....

had a really good evening, was SO pleased I went - just got back at 01:15 EEEK. but ok. I shall be having more arguments with people about leg length (I was right, i don't want to be shorter); am clearer about seatbones and fingers....

looking forward to next year (holiday = course at heathers - but we were last night invited to West Cork for a wedding on 23rd may, so i guess i'll be having two holidays....)

rain

and cold - 9 degrees C !!!!

so fed and out again.. she's fine, but i was chilled, a day in a waarm office and then warm car!

tomorrow i'm goign to macclesfield to see heather moffett - a long way, but i missed sheffield (didn't twig it was on until it was too late to book the time off.) camcorder charging now.

report from aberdeen yesterday is good (apparently someone's put a good write up on new rider, must go read that!)

jane, waves hello! haven't dropped by on your blog for a while, sorry!

and in german

i keep getting this

Blog anzeigen (in einem neuen Fenster)

rather than

"open blog (In a new window)"

i didn't really care to know what the german for that was, but I guess I do now!

1 step forward - and 2 months back

i couldn't get on.

Four attempts at the moungint block, and she wasn't having it.

so I put the training halter on and did 20 minutes rope circling.

tried again - still couldn't get on.

ggrrhh.

either

1. it was the wind (it was windy, but not that bad down at the yard!) OR
2. i hadn't put the bridle on correctly OR
3. she was being a bollocks.

whatever, i wasn't overjoyed.

i hadn't planned on doing huge amounts of anything, it was windy and i was on my own (no one else was riding because it was windy..... the arena was ok, though, as it's sheltered from the prevailing wind).

ggrrhh

30 bales of haylage

hired a van and went and got that today. getting it off was interesting, but a lot easier than getting it on, glad i didn't have to do that bit! but time we'd done that, taken the van back (oh, and we took a sofa to the tip as well!) had a late brunch and i went back down and still had to sort out everything i'd moved to get the haylage in - molly got fed and turned out again. it was about 1830 by then, knackered....

and about 10 minutes ago had to ring the police & fire brigade - some kids had set a fire right next to the church next to us, you could only see it from our upstairs! right in the corner where you can't see from the road.... happily it went out before the fire brigade arrived, possibly because i went out and started to get people to move their cars in case the hedge went, and they heard me and stopped feeding it....

and as for the police/fire brigade - find us? we're on all the satnavs/maps as church street, but they were wandering round like lost souls..... so just as well it went out.

anyway, that was a bit of excitement.

the bad news, a new neighbour along the street (moved in in July) has been riding once a week at a local "approved" riding school. came off Wednesday night, in hospital, broke her ankle two places, needed two operations to put pins in (2nd one today) so that's not clever at all. will give her time to come round from operation then go visiting.....

to get out of the arena once in it

have the gate wide open and shake the reins at her. leg didn't do it at all (that just got set jaw/twist/whatever). shake reins, loose, worked. the third time she trotted out. first time i thought go through yard. after i'd persuaded her to move forward into the yard i got napped with back to the stable, damn, thought we'd got out of that. abit scary in case i get taken into stable ... but aimed her for next doors,which was shut.... and got her turned round and back, then the two more times in and out of the arena.

shame, before that we'd even had a nice turn on the forehand left. AND first time out i went down the track (you never know, she MIGHT have gone down the hill....) and had a nice trot back which was pleasing for me.

i really don't like our arena. better than not having one, i suppose, but now i'm getting straighter it's hard to keep that in the arena as i don't get a chance to get it established before i have to think about a turn. intend to measure it one of these days....

rotherham

is where I've been today, site visit for a case (watching engineering expert take vibration measurements of client doing a few jobs - me, defendant's solicitor, defendant's trainee, and two of defendant's management....)

just got back 19:44 ... so no work for molly tonight!

but I do love my new car! sticks at the speed I want (70, the limit); comes back to me (an odd phrase re a car, I know, but you know what I mean) when I want to slow down; mega good fuel consumption on that run and it's good on ordinary...

and called round at friends to drop stuff off and pick up some of mine (she'd forgot to leave it out so I didn't in fact pick it up ) and her ma filled me with tea and cake. oops. so no dinner for me, might have some toast for supper...

and my satnav (installed on palm) decided a fatal exception whilst it was meant to be navigating was good. has been doing that when it was in fact switched off altogether, if i hadn't exited the programme, but this is the first time it's done it whilst running. so I think it's probably time for a stand alone ... at least it didn't do it on a road i didn't know! and of course at least with a palm you can reset and start over rather than with pocket pc where you could crash altogether. but still, not clever.

never mind, it don't really owe me anything (ebay bargains)

tired...

that was me - so groundwork for molly, i knew i didn't have the energy for riding. last night - you've all had those nights when you go to the loo - and again - and again - for no reason? that was it. tiring.

Molly was putting up bits of resistance to what i wanted (backwards ok, left ok, guess what, right not quite!) but eventually did as i wanted.

come the winter she'll be doing a lot more of that and longlining ... currently the nights are drawing in, so it'll not be too long before we're confined to the arena after work!

rotherham for work tomorrow, but should be back early evening, so that's not too bad...

b****** flies

and as for the fishing gear .. tonight we were stopped by one of the fishermen telling me a long story about a man who's given him huge expensive quantities of Hardy's fishing equipment in thanks for something he did 3 years ago......

Actually, I think Molly's not too bothered about most things that spook others, just about useful things like going out on her own...

tnoight we went in the arena - no one about to ride out with anyway.... and i did some straighten me excercises and got some nice trot, was pleased.

the fisherman said (he'd been watching me walk round very straight!) that i looked like a mounted policewoman ... i suppose I was doing what i intended to then, but not sure i like the comparison.


After he'd told me his tale, i gathered Molly up again and we went in a really nice trot round a couple of times with a really nice trot walk transition and halt. granted she's not through behind, but in the scale of where we've been lately, a lot better

and the flies? swarms of midges, everywhere... eauch.

hack out...

as planned.

Molly was so good she even gave Piper a lead past a man in a white van putting on his fishing gear - Piper didn't want to know about that at all!

she also went through the ford (on piper's tail) but blotted her copybook slightly at a narrow gate. But that's par for her, she really doesn't like them and it was a difficult access.

and i think i've worked out what I've been doing wrong position wise - apart from the weight to the wrong side - the knees have been pressing in.

if I keep weight on the thighs with knees out, it's all a lot better.

thinking about what is actually happening certainly helps, but of course i can only do it when Molly's behaving.

finished up with some nice trot again, back on the track on my own.

and another bargain off ebay - a 4 1/2" myler combination for £44 inc. postage (that's very good).

some nice trot

I took my schooling stick in with me - didnt' need to use it though, she woke up substantially knowing i had it in my hand! to the extent that she was trotting when i didnt' really want her to. but hey, had the desired effect.

After that I put the stick down on top of a wall (for easy access, it's just the right height as you're sitting on the horse!)

and then went to working on jaw softening. by the end we had it, and i had some really nice trot right rein..... but then spoilt it by trying to do the same left rein.

i think partly i was trying too hard, never helps!

but she stayed soft in walk even if i couldn't get it in trot.

also, she seems to have her mother's ability to put you on the wrong diagonal - very tedious! until now i'd rather thought it was me, but today i realised it wasn't, it's her - it's exactly the same, as if she puts an extra half stride in or something!

when i got off, i looked at my boots - which i'd cleaned yesterday. guess i need more work on my leg position! the sweat marks show me up, of course.

oddly, i think it's easier to get that right when out than when in the arena - possibly, trying to hard in the arena, possibly more relaxed when out, don't know...

and this morning? went back and bought that jacket for myself - having googled it last night, the priced was a fantastic bargain for a really good jacket. happily they had one left my size!

new links

Matt & Falcon

I knew Matt from EE - has a nice coloured Shire/TB cross, Spirit.

Didn't know about his rescue horse, Falcon, which sounds like a major project!

well...

I'm not sure what to make of tonight.

She did one walk away from the mounting block, don't know what that was about as she hasn't done that for ages

Then we went into the arena and worked on halts - which actually were going ok, she wasn't setting her jaw.

A different story when we tried to LEAVE the arena - me, go out there? no way! set her jaw, twisted on, phooey.....got someone to open the gate wider and she went through. went roundthe 20 acre again but it gets her out, with jackie on piper. half way round she started setting herself again and trying to twist round to go back, but then decided, happily, to continue.

I left Jackie at the ford as she'd said she was going for a blast up holme hill (don't think we're ready for blasts up there yet!) and had some nice trot back along the lane.

Couldn't move for pheasants though (the estate is now all stocked up for the forthcoming shooting season) and we kept putting them up as we rode past. Actually the horses couldn't care about the pheasants, they're so used to them appearing from wherever on no notice, I think they startle us riders more!

This morning was trip to hairdressers with no breakfast (got up with about 3/4 hour to get there, it's a 1/2 hour drive!) so went ot have breakfast out afterwards but by that time people had stopped serving it! then to a tack/feed store as i'd discovered in the paper they were having a sale this weekend. Partner got a wonderful winter jacket at a really good price. They had one my size - but we don't like wearing the same colour so I couldn't have one. and i spotted them first, just didn't make my mind up .... might go back though. got a nice top, very smart, from the real bargain bin at £3!

and then went to a restored walled/terraced garden, also part of the heritage open days this weekend....photos will follow once i get them off the camera...

then cleaned the saddle, not before time!

and forgot my reading glasses when i went out to ride - fair enough, you might say, but i ended up in the supermarket afterwards to rather regretted not having them!

new specs

happily arrived today. I thought i woulndt be able to get them till tomorrow as the optician closes at 5 and i was at work as i thought till 5. but the afternoon appointments went quicker than they shoudl have done, the 3 pm cancelled, i got the 4 pm to come in early and the boss said yes i could go early and get them (he knew about the headaches!).

the driving/distance ones will probably be a success re lenses - but i picked the wrong frames, they're a bit "femma" - that is, feel as though they'll collapse in a heap!

the reading/computer ones make the screen look curved, it's really weird!

anyway, partner found out that english heritage had organised some open days at places we don't normally get access to. so we went to see Aykley Heads House, a grade 1 listed building (that is, mega preserved, everything has to be exactly as it was) in durham. i've been trying to find something about it on the web to link to, but there's not a lot out there. the best i could find was a mention in this page.

anyway, we were glad we went. the house started, as the page says, probably in the 12th century. the present house has its basis in two farm buildings (still part of the current buidling) from the late 17th century, then the present house was startedin the early 18th centruy and then gradually expanded and altered. it was sold to the county council in 1942, then had a nasty fire in the 90's i think it was, has been fully restored and is now occupied partly by what used to be call edht county youth/careers service and partly (in what used to be the kitchen) a posh bistro that we can't afford to eat in save as a treat for an occasion!

by the time we'd done that i was knackered so mollly only got fed and then we came home. mind, i'm usually knackered on friday night and molly usually does get that night off!

well.....

My lunge lesson was cancelled - instructor poorly! - so rode.

Couldn't go in the arena as the lami pony had just been put in there (not quite sure why that coulnd't happen through the day ....?) so thought i'd try and get round the 20 acre on my own.

down the hill she was really keen, we went through the gate into the field, went a little way to the half way mark - perhaps a third - and she wouldn't go any further.

I managed to get her circled to face the right way once... then she seemed to work out what my plan was and really set her jaw. coulnd't get her soft and where i wanted at all, so went back up.

went through the yard - but in her least favourite place going out the other side, there was some noise people were talking and she couldn't see them...... that was where she had the horrid fright first time we went out but hasn't forgotten it.

so we went back. she wanted to go into the arena but of course couldn't.

i hung about for a while - just, lets just stand here! - then set off down the hill again. two or three circles got her to the top of it but she wasn't keen on going further. wouldn't even follow the fisherman down the hill

so went back up

loitered some more. someone was waiting for another rider coming through so when she turned up i tagged on behind

of course, Molly then went round very nicely. wasn't at all spooked by one of the other horses getting seriously hyper

i could have carried on with them once we got round the field, but - of course, i'd taken my jacket off as it was so hot when i first got on, by this time there was no sun and i was really cold, so headed back along the lane and had some nice trot.

my position is improving a lot as well, i can really feel the stretch down in my thighs and that they are getting to the right place to be where they should be ....

overall i was pleased. i was able to get round eventually where Molly didn't want to do it to start, and I'm making progress myself. the best bit i think was that I didn't have to stop without having done anything!

another trip round the 20 acre

this time with different company - George and Sheila. no problem and as I said to them, once I'd got her down the hill we'd be well in front, which we were.

And i was particularly pleased - when i was leading her round to the mounting block she could hear them talking to someone round the corner, they'd stopped to talk having already set off - and molly wanted to head that way, so i was expecting some not standing still at the mounting block. that was an unjustified thought, as she did, long enough for me to get on and seated. so that was pleased.

definitely a bit feely since the farrier has been....but that'll improve!

really good

apart, i think, from the small flies getting up her nose...

had to get ready in double quick time as i'd been made late by a traffic jam caused by a closed road. because the farrier had turned up this morning she was a tad footsore and didn't really want to move to the mounting block but when she got there she stood still again.

went out with July on suzie, went round teh 20 acre then through the ford and up round the next field.

on the way back down the hill to teh gate in that field, molly started arging about her head, but i decided it had to be the small flies - there was no breeze there and loads of flies...but she kept wanting to put her head right down (very scary going down hill!) and tossing it about.... settled, so it was deffo the flies (horrid tiny things get in everywhere....at head height!)

then back along the 20 acre home.... out much longer than julie had planned!!

and i can feel my hips opening and my leg lengthening...

groundwork

decided we hadn't done any for a while so did some; she was pretty good, considering we haven't done any for a while.

after a couple of aberrations i was able to keep her going for as long as I wanted. and i was able to move her back and forward. her ability to cross her hind legs was improved as well.

so that was good.

plan was to get done and make it to timpsons (they do watch straps etc) but i missed it; bought a really nice leather watch strap yesterday for £5 (handmade by the stallholder), the sort that keeps the back of the watch off your wrist, which is what i wanted as i'm allergic to the metal. got home, cut the straps off the watch - and found that the strap won't just thread through. so need a man who can get the strap holders off and back on again so i can put the watch on the strap.

riding tomorrow night.

kendal

mother wanted to go to Kendal to see a show which her great nephew (now 30) had something to do with.

I should have gone and seen molly before we set off; didn't get back till it was dark again!

never mind, had a good day.

the show was a bit odd, and I'm sorry to say I fell asleep - at least I had the genuine excuse of REALLY needing to rest my eyes! I wasn't the only one I don't think..... clearly soporific. it was quite dark (in a dome tent!) and the soundtrack (each member of the audience had to wear headphones!) quite soporific....

hopefully i can keep the eyes going through the week till my specs arrive, otherwise I'll end up on the sick....

nose to back

molly's nose to partner's back.... down the hill, round the 20 acre.

one half spook as we passed the stand of dogwood, there was a pheasant or something rattling round inside making a hell of a racket, but it was only half hearted.... back to following partner, until we turned down the last fence line towards the ford.

and i had some very nice trot on the lane back, i was very pleased with my position, and my rise which was very small.

so something's going right!!!

and partner cylced down to the yard - that's 5 miles!!!! bike is left there, she'll ride it back tomorrow night....

taking ma to kendal tomorrow...

the eyes

are very expensive.

I need two pairs of glasses. Not only do i need new reading glasses, optimised for use with the computer, but I ALSO need driving glasses... i half suspected that. so £200 later... and i have to wait 10 days, not sure i can bear the headaches.....

I think I'll be Ok with Vista .... the annoying thing is the man in the shop said it came with no software. he was wrong! Microsoft works, which has improved substantially since i first met it in Win 95; windows mail seems much better than outlook express used to be, there's a calendar and contacts that fits in with mail (won't be as functional as outlook, and you can no longer buy outlook as a standalone....)

i've actually been really posh and created recovery discs....there's a first time for everything, but i thought i'd better as the whole lot was pre-installed.

then thought, better do a reecovery disc for the pc - guess what, it won't let me. it wants me to put the data into a drive that is in fact a drive for a memory card or stick.... duh. and then says it wants a floppy for system data, when i don't have a floppy drive....

now what's that about?

the laptop has a lightscribe dvdetc drive, which is good (much easier than wrestling with paper, have one on the PC they're great!) and various other goodies....


might go back and tell the man in the shop he was wrong; after all, i bought a home/student version of office that i probably needn't have bothered with!

we're off to see the molly mare having wasted the best of the day's weather....