Had a brilliant session tonight with me on Dolly and ChickyD on Jasper... that girl is sneaky I tell you, sneaky!
She text'd to see if I wanted to ride tonight, and of course I did, assuming we were going out for one of our usual mid-week ploddy hacks.
Get to the yard and tack up and 'oh so casually' she say's 'we could just ride in the five acre' with that tone of voice that made me think she didn't really fancy hacking out...
So having briefly shook inside from the thought of riding in the field with another horse and then given my self a stern 'talking to' I said, "OK, no problem but NO CANTERING...."
Off we go into the five acre, and I begin my usual 'boring' schooling around my 'imaginary school' in the middle... Chicky just wanders off nice and casual on Jasper, and begins doing some schooling round the edges of the field.
Dolly was working quite well and listening, so I risked doing some trot work- she continued to listen and do as I asked, always aware of where Jasper was but making no attempt to go with him.
Then I got really brave and whilst I thought Chicky wasn't looking, I cantered her up the 'long' side, and she came back to trot when I asked So I changed the rein and risked it on the other rein too... and although slightly more excitable and needing a bit more 'telling' to come back, Dolly did come back to trot when asked!
I was chuffed to bits and carried on riding Dolly round the 'school' at walk and trot when the next thing I know, Chicky is cantering Jasper across the field Needless to say my legs went to Jelly and lunch nearly made an unscheduled re-appearance, but I forced myself to relax and concentrate on what I was asking of Dolly at the time and she didn't bat an eyelid... even when Jasper cantered up behind her
To finish off, Chicky and I 'hacked' round the 5acre together and although Dolly by this time was a little 'on her toes' she wasn't difficult to hold and did walk when asked.
So... it may not sound like much but to me it feels like a MASSIVE step in the right direction
HUGE thanks to ChickyD, who really is a sneaky cow, but seems to instinctively 'know' how far I can be pushed, and takes me there sucessfully every time
She text'd to see if I wanted to ride tonight, and of course I did, assuming we were going out for one of our usual mid-week ploddy hacks.
Get to the yard and tack up and 'oh so casually' she say's 'we could just ride in the five acre' with that tone of voice that made me think she didn't really fancy hacking out...
So having briefly shook inside from the thought of riding in the field with another horse and then given my self a stern 'talking to' I said, "OK, no problem but NO CANTERING...."
Off we go into the five acre, and I begin my usual 'boring' schooling around my 'imaginary school' in the middle... Chicky just wanders off nice and casual on Jasper, and begins doing some schooling round the edges of the field.
Dolly was working quite well and listening, so I risked doing some trot work- she continued to listen and do as I asked, always aware of where Jasper was but making no attempt to go with him.
Then I got really brave and whilst I thought Chicky wasn't looking, I cantered her up the 'long' side, and she came back to trot when I asked
So I changed the rein and risked it on the other rein too... and although slightly more excitable and needing a bit more 'telling' to come back, Dolly did come back to trot when asked!I was chuffed to bits and carried on riding Dolly round the 'school' at walk and trot when the next thing I know, Chicky is cantering Jasper across the field
Needless to say my legs went to Jelly and lunch nearly made an unscheduled re-appearance, but I forced myself to relax and concentrate on what I was asking of Dolly at the time and she didn't bat an eyelid... even when Jasper cantered up behind her To finish off, Chicky and I 'hacked' round the 5acre together and although Dolly by this time was a little 'on her toes' she wasn't difficult to hold and did walk when asked.
So... it may not sound like much but to me it feels like a MASSIVE step in the right direction
HUGE thanks to ChickyD, who really is a sneaky cow, but seems to instinctively 'know' how far I can be pushed, and takes me there sucessfully every time
