successful morning

Went out for a ride with Paul & Julie - just up to the riding school and then back round the way we'd come but we were all quite pleased with Molly.

didn't have time for any hoo hah with mounting so Julie held her head.

When we set off Molly was fine going out towards the drive, which she normally doesn't like, and for a wonder walked under the bogey willow with no problem at all, almost as if it wasn't there. so that was good.

Had a couple of stops along the track, then over the bridge at the ford no problem. she got a stress head on after that for a few strides - i think because Paul with scarlet wanted to go up the field, (2 gates) and i'd specifically said no gates this morning (wanted to avoid them).

When we came out onto the rode there were some builders bags on the left, which she avoided like the plague - will be fine with them next time I expect - and put an odd stop in before we turned left.

I think we all wished we had gone the road not the field at the left turn up to the riding school - scarlet & molly both ended up in the plough trying to avoid the mud!

then through the riding school yard, down the copse and out onto southill drive - for all of this Molly was ahead (she walks faster than everything else and then seems to get stressed when she thinks they've vanished!).

bit of a stressy moment as we came out onto the southill drive beyond hte riding school, but settled again - listning to me a lot more, i think - and then walk back along the road to the track and back to the yard.

This is probably about 40 minutes in walk only.

For a lot of the time Molly was pretty light in the hand. I was concentrating on sitting square - i.e., weight in left foot/left seatbone, since that's the side i favour and I need to stop doing that!) and i think that helped.

overall very pleased.

and this is Simba, having helped me make the bed this afternoon, just because it's a cute pose....