Breakthru!

Spelling in honour of Queen, my favourite band as it would have been Freddie Mercury's 65th birthday today.

So, the last couple of times I've longed Stormy, she's been much more relaxed and hasn't had a scaredy tantrum since I sat on her last Tuesday. I've been asking her for tolt, and even for a little canter on a very big circle, as I doubt she's done it much before.

Today, she was a dream. I loose-schooled her at walk and trot - she chose to trot, not gait - and a little at canter, but she is very unbalanced, then I brought her onto the longe, and when I asked, she would 'whoa' almost instantly, when I said 'steaadyy tro-ot' she relaxed from rushing. She kept an ear on me all the time but her demeanour was happy and she didn't once balk at the rope or me or anything. Good girl!!

Lilly had her first day of work with Annick, who is going to back her, soon, I would think. She was very happy with the way I have started her, which I was pleased with of course! And Lilly did me proud by staying calm and behaving exactly as well as she does when I've worked her. If anything, she's a bit lazy, wanting to quit at the trot and very prompt halts!

The deal with this is Annick takes over Lilly to get her backed and ridden away, and I start working with Bond, the sole gelding at the farm, who Annick has been working with since May. He was 713lb when he arrived and he's 893lb today, at 14.2hh. A very happy story. He is still a little crazy, he likes to rush in all gaits and I was the first person other than Annick to ride him in his new life. We did lots of circles and transitions and I'll be riding him with her for the week, before taking him on myself.

Finally, Mae is finished her 3 weeks + off tomorrow, her bute taper finishes today and she was sound last Thursday when I loose schooled her to check. She's been off work and hasn't gaited for probably over 6 weeks now, so I'm going to walk her for 20 mins, 4 times a week, on the hard driveway, so she's not slogging through sand. I'll do this for two weeks and see how she goes before trying any circles or gaiting.