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Sat 3rd

Well…what do you do when you decide to ride BUT (1) you changed the field cone/tyre pattern from 2 circles to a long long straight weave line (2) the horses across the glen for some reason are whinneying and (3) it’s blowing a complete hoolie?????

YUP…you try to ride for a couple of mins then decide everything is just too much of a distraction for wee Bella so go and play online with her instead 🙂

Changed jump wings/poles from a ‘course’ set up to a ‘serpentine’ set up

 

 

 

 

Used to have two ‘circles’ of 8 cones and 8 piles of tyres.

Today I changed this set up, after at least 10yrs of it being this way, to where I had a long long 12 cone weave set up 🙂

Bella was very confused and rightly worried that things had changed so drastically (letting her graze the area for the next day has helped her get used to the new pattern set up) 🙂

 

 

Me and the kids 🙂

 

 

 

 

 

 

< 2 mins riding, the rest was on foot with Bella online playing and familiarising her to the new set up

 

AND playing helped her focus and relax >

 

 

 

 

Mon 5th

Today is like chalk to cheese from the weekend. We have sunshine and blue skies today 😉

I started off giving Bella a good groom, she still has old hair coming out from her Winter coat but is nearly into her Spring coat now. We then did a small play session with some walk/trot fig 8’s to check willingness, transitions, curves and connection.

 

 

 

 

Then we did some slow ridden checks and warm up using the jump wings and poles for curves, transitions and moving the forehand and hindquarters independently.

 

 

 

 

Onto the main riding session and we were determined to do the 12 cone weave…it’s so lovely to have such a big space to train in an it feels so much wider/larger now the old cone/tyre circles are changed to a cone line for weave/fig 8’s and some work with canter too. We started in trot doing close-to weaves around the cones. On the way back we upped the trot to a big trot and did more of a squiggly snake serpentine weave thereby doing more arc’s, changing my trot diagonal rising in the saddle and getting more curve in Bella’s body. When she felt stiff, mostly going to the right, I put in a circle around cones and then continued. We ended with a wee canter 😉

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wed 7th

2nd attempt at the 12 cone weave. Went much better than yesterday as Bella gets used to the change 😉

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thu 8th

Today, I decided to not do any particular pattern as I felt Bella was getting a bit bored doing the same thing SO we did P2P’s around the field. The only things I was concerned about getting was (1) focus (2) straight to the stopping point (3) better halts where she actually halts well and relaxes into the halt and not keep antsy-ing about trying to move off (4) and once we start off again that she trots (because if she wants to move her feet and has trouble relaxing into her halt then she can use that energy to trot to the next point) 🙂

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sun 11th

We have a lovely day with a bit of sunshine and a nice cool breeze…perfect for a wee ride, and Mark joined us today too.

 

Stormy and Mark enjoying riding bareback today 😉

 

 

 

 

 

Bella and I started off with some trot serpentines using the 12 cones as markers for where to change our curve/diagonals 😉

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We then started working on some canter serpentines….this included halts between each change of direction (in the centre by the cones). This helps to teach relaxation between the canter half circles so that Bella starts to look for relaxation at this point and then also to take that relaxation into the canter semi-circle too. At the moment she was bracing against the arc and then rushing canter (thereby not always getting the correct canter lead) SO the halt in the middle allowed us both to think, calm and re think the next arc 😉

Some pics of the halts we did:

 

 

 

 

 

Here’s some pics of the canter today:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And at the end to get our brains back onto something small we did some sidepass over a tube…lovely to end on a good note and a lovely walk to cool down too 😉

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thurs 15th

 

So, I managed to get up really early this morning to go and feed S&B and to snatch a ride before the sun got hot. Always feels good doing this 😉

I was only going to ride the perimeter of the field in walk and then trot BUT as always happens, plans go out of the window.

Bella was doing well when she decided there was a tiger in the low stone wall, did a wee hop, jump and canter to show her spook. I decided to not stop her as I would have done previously but to ASK her to CONTINUE CANTERING the field to show that I was ready for canter and to make a good thing out of a silly thing 😉

I then asked her to trot the field, then canter, trot and then canter the field again 😉 The canter on the map is red 😉 🙂

She did so well and we got to relax and enjoy the canter more and more. This year’s cantering the rail/field has had a good start today.

 

 

 

< Stormy having a wee chat with Bella before we start our ride.

 

Bella checking out the cows and calves that were just moved to this field below ours >

 

 

 

 

 

Bella after our ride and after I put some water on her sweaty back and groomed her again 😉

Yawning is not about tiredness but about processing thoughts, lessons and sometimes a release from stress
(learning can be stressful so teaching slowly and carefully through relaxation and allowing each horse to show how much processing time they need and allow them that time is ultra important).

Bella hasn’t done this sort of yawn for years so today and our relaxed multiple canters across the field was a lesson needed for us both.

 

 

 

 

Bella in thinking mode and mentally tired. She took a few mins on her own and then came for a peppermint and a hug. Then she drifted off to find Stormy and they both went to the shelter to rest and escape the morning sun 🙂

 

 

 

 

 

Fri 16th

 

Storm & Bella strategically find the shadows in the shelter this morning….it’s very hot up here.

 

 

Bella putting 4 feet on large pedestal and then first left front then right front on small pedestal for some apple slices 😉

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Stormy did the pedestal for apple slices too 🙂

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As S&B now off the main field area and on the track for the Summer so I spent the morning putting out some agility obstacles around that area.

< Jump. Archway. Tarp >

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

< 4 Flags. Drain tube. Curtain >

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

< Long narrow gap. Trot poles. Low trot pole >

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

< 12 cone weave. Pole which I attach a rope too. I hold the rope and circle around in walk, trot then canter. Circles rely on me and horse synchronising on the circle as I try to ride it one handed)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

S&B chilling out on a wee hill just before I went off for my breakfast 😉

 

 

 

 

 

Sun 18th

We have a really nice strong breeze this morning so I get out and feed S&B early and then go to catch Bella for a ride. She decided to not want to be caught just now so I ask Stormy if he wants to be with me…he said ‘OK MUM’ 😉

 

 

I groom and saddle him and then do a bit of play in the field we’ve cordoned off and I’ve put the agility obstacles up in.

He did so well, he never forgets anything and did a lot of the obstacles before I got on.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Nice slow wander about the field popping over a tarp, under the curtain, through a narrow gap….he did so well 😉

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I then caught Bella, who was hanging out in the shelter, and did the same with her.

Again, just walking about but some nice work through the obstacle course.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

• Shelley – HorseSavvy.co.uk

 

 

Tue 1st April

Well April is here and we’ve got a few days of glorious sunshine and blue skies (nights colder and a breezy but nice).

Today I thought I’d give S&B a change by taking them out on the track down the road again. It’s been a while since doing it last and normally, in Summer, it’s a real treat as there are always lovely munchies along the way for them (thistles, heather, long grass, knapweeds, raspberry leaves, dog rose leaves etc) but today there are few pickings to be had, just a very enjoyable walk with a ride on Stormy home, leading Bella 😉

 

I walked them both in-hand down the track then at the wooden bridge we turned, I mounted Stormy and I rode back. Totalled 28 mins and 2.2km.

 

< Ready to go in the field

 

Up the top of the field on the track ready to rock’n’roll >

 

 

 

 

 

Leading them both we found our stride nicely with Bella by my side (where she loves to be) and Stormy following on behind (using 22′ line to make sure I have enough rope for him to do this) 😉

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

At the bridge we walk over it, rest for a bit then turn around and I find a gate to mount Stormy from.

 

 

 

 

 

Stormy did a great job carrying me home, up all the big hills 😉

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bella did a fantastic job of just being led, she stayed either near my leg, by Storm’s back leg or behind him when the track was narrow.

 

 

 

At the end of the track, their field is on the left of us, I dismount and lead them both down the field hill to the shelter where a nice bucket of water and an apple were waiting for them 🙂

 

 

 

Thurs 3rd

Sunshine, light breeze, blue skies and Mark, Storm & Bella 😉 We didn’t do anything spectacular but it was just lovely to be out and about with Mark and S&B today 😉

 

Bella working well from my focus, weight, seat, legs 😉 Much more in harmony this year ;o)

 

 

 

 

Going around the field with no thought about where Mark and Stormy were which is good.

 

 

 

 

 

Mark and Stormy having fun in the sun

Trotting about all over the field, they so enjoy each other’s company 😉

 

 

 

Nice and slow today 😉 no need for rushing about….

 

 

 

 

 

Sat 5th

 

Gorgeous sunny Saturday…bit chilly but beautiful AND a day to ride S&B.

We decide to bring them back to the house for a couple of days, just as a change for them before all the grass grows fast and furious.

Here Mark is tacking up, I’ve done Bella and she knows it’s a ride out so is taking time to just chillax and rest 😉

 

 

 

< Bella and her perfect mounting block sidling 😉

Mark takes Stormy for a drink before we set off >

 

 

 

 

Stormy bring Mark up the first part of the lower field hill….

….and then cantered up the higher part of the field hill (the one we’ve been working on)….so proud of him, he did it perfectly 😉

 

 

 

 

Both of us rest just before the top of the field where we join the track.

 

 

 

 

 

Following Mark and Stormy along the track…normal thing, different day…but we thoroughly enjoy it and it’s also a nice way to hack out with a good destination, not too far for Mark and Stormy (Storm is 22 this year and Mark is still waiting for his 2nd knee operation) 😉

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bella and I had a really lovely ride but glad I kept my jacket on as it was a wee bit chilly.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The last bit before home

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bella today after I trimmed all the long hair from under her jawline, looking really smart now 😉
(don’t ever do the lower whiskers as they need those for feeling around with) 🙂

 

 

 

 

 

Tues 8th

 

Ride the horses back to their big field today. Glorious sunshine and blue skies with the hint of a nice breeze…perfect riding weather 😉

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Just a really lovely ride with Mark, S&B <3

 

 

 

 

 

 

< Bella, back in the big field after a roll

Big Stormy just can’t help himself….clean for a min then rolled on some dry mud to make himself dirty again 😉 It helps with getting his moulting coat out and clean his skin so we don’t mind at all really 😉

 

 

 

 

Thurs 10th

Today I had a few things to do in the morning:

1. Feed S&B
2. Put them individually in different round pens so I could get faecal samples for worm counts
3. Walk them about individually to get them off grazing for half an hour so I could do tape worm tests. This involves putting a tester in the side of their mouths so they lick it until it changes colour and they can’t eat, drink or be hard exercised half an hour beforehand. Easier said than done when we don’t have stables SO I walked Storm about for a bit and groomed him, which took up the half an hour, and then rode Bella bareback in a slow walk, which did her half an hour.

 

This is them in their individual round pens while I clean the field waiting for their samples 🙂

 

 

 

Then I rode Bella bareback. I used her saddle pad to keep my jod’s clean as she’s moulting a lot too.

 

 

 

All samples were got and sent off to the laboratory who get back to me via email to say whether they need any wormer or if they’re clear of worms 😉
We do this a few times a year and it’s better to only worm them when they need it so as not to create resistance to the worm paste 😉

 

 

 

Sat 12th

Today, another beautifully sunny, hot, dry, blue sky day, gets me up early to get out and ride Bella before it gets too hot 😉

 

 

We had a lovely ride. A bit of walking around the roundpens in a clover leaf pattern. Bella worked very nicely with very little use of the reins, relying on my focus, balance, weight in the saddle and leg cues.

We then did good trot work through an obstacle course I  put together using poles on the ground and jump wings to create narrow gaps to go through 😉

We also went around the field, down a hillock to get to the water trough as I new she was a bit thirsty, then up the big hill, down again, trotting the length of the arena which has a couple of poles for trot work. Then over a jump and into canter to end the session 🙂

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

After this I cleaned Storm’s heels and legs by taking off excess chestnuts and ergots (look them up if not sure what they are) and then trimmed his chin of long hair…doesn’t he look handsome in his neater ‘summer’ look 🙂 He’s SO good when I do this, with blunt ended dog scissors, and stands totally still for me 😉

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sun 20th

Well…it’s been a bit of a week here. Firstly Bella had a strange 48hr lameness in her back right leg. Not sure what it was from as could not find any heat or swelling in her leg. No pain in her foot re: an abscess or any fur missing from a bite or kick from Storm SO….I massaged her hip, rump and leg and put arnica gel on her joints just in case. THEN my back went out of whack so I had to take some time out with Mark giving me a lie in, and no dog walking, for a few days. Once my back is ‘out’ then I just have to rest, rest and rest some more so I’ve missed S&B with play and riding but also feeding etc ;(

 

Today was a good day and it was lovely to have S&B walk and trot with me at liberty the whole length of the field to where Mark and I groom them.

I did a full groom with Bella (Mark worked on Stormy) and got the old winter hair, dust and debris off her coat and conditioned her coat and mane and tail 😉

 

 

She was happy to see me and took me straight to the pedestal where she showed that she hadn’t forgotten how to get a treat 😉 lol

 

 

 

We then did some connection exercises to make sure she was willing and able to be ridden. Stuff that asked her to change gait, find her balance and arc around an obstacle 😉

 

 

 

 

 

Then we rode. The gentle sway of her hips really helped me to just relax into riding and allow the movement move my hips and back without me doing anything much….good therapy for sure.

And we went from a nice gentle walk into a nice gentle trot and it was great to feel the effortless of movement under me as she took me around the field 😉

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My best girl, in my best place <3

 

 

 

 

Tues 22nd

My bad back is still not 100% but there’s nothing better than a wee bareback ride on Big Stormy to put a big smile on my face  😉

 

 

 

 

 

 

AND…how DO you groom a big Polar Bear that’s loosing his Winter pyjama’s? Yup…by standing on a tall barrel 🙂

 

I’m SO pleased Stormy (and all our horses over the years) was taught to stand still at a mounting block and to know how to turn around while I’m standing still on it too so I can groom both sides 🙂 🙂 Or even mount from either side too 🙂 🙂

 

 

 

 

Weds 30th

Enjoyed a nice ride on Stormy and then Bella today 😉 🙂 🙂

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

See you in May 😉

 

• Shelley – HorseSavvy.co.uk

 

 

 

 

First ridden flag work this year, great that there was some wind to show off the flag nicely.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We then worked through trotting around the round pens, which we did a few circuits of as I wanted to end the session with her relaxed and not thinking about a canter yeehaa.

Good session finished with relaxation, focus and connection 😉

 

 

 

Thurs 6th

Sunshine, light breeze and mild temperature greeted me this morning…yeehaa…time for another riding session in the morning as the ground is good, (not hard, not soft) 😉

 

BELLA: What a lovely ride. We started off with RtR around the flat part of the field again in walk (Blue line). It was a good warm up and going up and down the small hills worked her legs nicely

We then went on to doing the large fig 8 in trot (blue line) and then for fun as she has that energy we rode a beautifully calm and controlled canter around the round pens (red line) 😉 🙂 🙂

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

STORMY:  I wanted to do a bit more than just get his legs working SO I thought of the one thing he worries about regularly which is being ridden up the big hill. He really isn’t worried but he doesn’t do it often and also hates being away from Bella SO…..a good training point to work on I thought 😉

He often gets a bit of the way up the hill then turns sharply and canters down the hill so I wanted to change that behaviour.

First I asked him to connect to me with some pole work in the nearby arena which he did nicely. I then asked him to try to walk up the hill and I noticed that just before he worries and turns to go down the field he just tips his head a bit and that if I stopped, turned his head the other way and faced the hill fence he could stop, relax and start to think again…I also gave him a treat when he relaxed and waited with me 😉

After a few turning his head and waiting by the fence in a nice halt with a treat he decided that it was okay to walk up the hill along the fence line, turn at the gateway, relax, then walk back down the hill. Dearest Bella whinneyed for him when we went out of sight and I called back to her while Stormy was ok knowing she was asking for him. He quietly walked back down the hill and when back with Bella I ended the session. I will try to continue this training (weather permitting) so that he can do the hill without baulking 😉

 

 

< Waiting by the fence while tackling the hill ride 😉

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fri 7th

So this morning is sunshine and blue skies with some heat in the sun. Time to get out and continue with the consistency of riding Bella and Stormy.

1) Stormy came over first so I groomed him (huge amounts of fur coming out in his Spring moult) and saddled up to ride.

Being consistent is good but Storm also needs variety. He’s a pretty clever horse and will know exactly what we’ll be doing from where I ride him in the field so I have to slightly outsmart him today. Firstly I do the same ride by going and doing some pole work to get him connected, focused and listening to me.

When we go towards the hill I want to ride he has obviously been thinking all night long on the fact he gets a treat when relaxed facing the fence line and instead of baulking he puts himself on the fence line and won’t move thinking he’ll get the treat. He is just too smart a boy isn’t he 😉 LOL.

So, to change this behaviour, as soon as he puts himself at the fence I carry on his turn and ask for a DHQ thereby pivoting him back to the line of walking up the hill 😉 I only had to do it twice and he decided walking up the hill was the way to go and he did it really nicely. Then when we got through the track fence line gate he assumed to go down the hill on the other side of the fence SO to change that thought before it became a habit I turned him 180* and asked him to walk down the hill the way we came up. He’s just one clever boy and loves using his brain so my job was to allow him the thought that he was smart but to outsmart him so that he thinks I’m clever than him and a good leader 😉

Lovely ride on Storm, quicker, easier with some mind games that worked well for us.

 

 

<<< Me and Storm

 

Storm at the top of the hill ride (doesn’t look much of a hill but believe me it is), nice and calm and looking for Bella >>>

 

 

 

 

 

2) Bella came and caught me after I brought Stormy back from his ride so I groomed her and saddled up ready to ride.

We did the walk (blue line) RtR anti-clockwise today which doesn’t seem a big thing but it really can be for a horse. She did it beautifully and we were both calm, focused and connected the whole way around.

 

 

 

 

We then did a really lovely big trot around the flat field (yellow line) with few corrections which was lovely. When it came to the round pen canter (red line) she was a bit reluctant to canter so I took what she offered and left it on a good note. She could be telling me she’s tired, sore or just not up for it so I have to trust her as I know she’s not a low energy horse.

Always have to listen to what the horse is saying on a second by second moment as being a partner means trusting and having a say…the horse and rider…both sides of the conversation are important and conversations involve 2 or more voices 😉

 

 

 

 

Wed 12th

 

 

 

 

Today I rode Stormy right to the top of the hill. He didn’t baulk, turned his head a couple of times but was back onto the task in hand pretty quickly. SO proud of his progress and confidence now doing this. I must keep the task up to keep it sweet 😉

 

 

 

 

Yesterday I took put together a ‘trot pole course’. It’s like a jumping course with jump wings but the poles are all just on the ground so no jumping.

We’ll be able to do walk and trot (maybe canter) over them with nice straight lines and calculated turns/curves/circles. We can also circle around them.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I took Bella around the trot pole course today. She started off thinking they were jumps (as I used jump wings to show where the poles were) and she hopped and skipped over them like wee jumps 😉 After a while doing the course in walk she settled, knowing they were just poles to negotiate. Then we did them in trot which was fun. It showed if we were straight, if our body curve was correct and got me changing my ‘diagonal’ rising trot regularly, which is always good (for me and Bella).

Lovely day, bit windy, but a good ride on both S&B. Tomorrow I’m hoping to bring them up to the house as a friend is visiting and she likes to see them 😉

 

 

Thurs 13th

 

SO…..today I did bring S&B home as planned. Riding Storm up the hill, leading Bella, he did a wee baulk just once and probably due to the two differences today than the other days….1. Mark and the quad bike in front of us and 2. leading Bella.
But he did fabulously, thought his way through it all and did a nice trot/canter at the last bit to the gateway.

The whole ride was a pleasure, nice weather, some blue skies and two perfectly behaved horses.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In home paddocks eating their morning hay 😉

 

 

 

 

Sun 16th

 

Lovely hack back to their big field with S&B and Mark this morning 😉 🙂 🙂

Thank goodness for large stones in Scotland 😉 lol

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thurs 20th

 

Tested Bella’s ‘job to do’ ethic today as there were 2 of the neighbours sheep in our field today.

She got a bit excited so at the top of the field, where the sheep got out, I dismounted and calmed her down while Stormy cantered up the field wondering where she was.

 

She was very good, listened to my asking her to calm and stay in walk so as not to spook the sheep off their trail.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We then went back to our afternoon exercises with some nice walk/trot over the jump poles and then walk/trot around the round pens

We finished on a lovely fig 8 canter around the round pens 😉 🙂 🙂

 

She still wasn’t 100% forward going but much better than last time.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sun 23rd

 

 

Bella still a bit ‘under the weather’ today. I’m thinking she’s either in season OR it’s just Spring when she would have been having a foal, she is like this every year so think it’s the broodiness of not having a foal again ;( We’ll get through it 😉

I used a lot of P2P’s asking for fast walk between obstacles. She did do a few big halts (napping) so I used my reins to turn her head left, then right, left, then right to find some forward momentum. If she stopped completely with no forward I took my very short, 4″, long piece of string and tapped her shoulder which worked nicely. She doesn’t need anything big as she’s sensitive, but something to encourage can work. She gave me some really nice trot, no bucking or tantrums SO also think she doesn’t want to do the ‘jump course’ with all the small, tight turns, and poles to pick feet up with.

Eventually got a nice ride and we ended on a very good note 😉

 

Stormy on the other hand……….well…….what can I say?

 

 

 

Self-grooming via a good roll in some damp mud….filthy boy 😉 lol

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mon 24th

Today I went down to the horses with Mark, he fed S&B and poo picked the field….I groomed them while he cleaned the field. Sometimes it’s just a grooming, huggy day with the big beasties <3

First I did Stormy. He’s moulting his winter coat like crazy. Huge clumps of old hair came out of his coat, it went everywhere, including my mouth…euk. I must have worked on him for well over half an hour but it was so worth it. He thoroughly enjoyed it too and stood stock still while I de-moulted him and put some conditioner in his mane and tail 😉

 

 

THEN….I thoroughly groomed Bella. First I used some nice gloves with nobbles on which not only de-moults her coat it gives her a massage. Every time I stood on the wee stool by her belly to groom her she moved forward and put me at her sacral area. This is her way of telling me that she enjoys being groomed/massaged in this area and I did my best to massage out any aches or stiffness she had there…might be why she was reluctant to trot the other day!!

 

 

Tues 25th

 

Well….it’s that time of year where Mr Stormy is trying his hardest to get his winter coat out and this morning it was evident that he’d rolled a LOT last night. lol

Hey ho…time for another grooming session 🙂

 

This is some of the hair that came out

 

 

 

But then I had a lovely ride and play with the big boy 😉 🙂 🙂

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And a really nice ride on Bella too. I put her equipedic memory foam pad under her saddle this morning (did the same last year at this time of year) and think that helped her comfort and she trotted and cantered well today.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bella continued to ask to play after our ride with some hulahoop fun 😉 She’s such a gorgeous girlie.

 

Both now clean and exercised, tomorrow is another day 😉

 

 

 

 

 

Sun 30th

 

 

Fed and cleaned field this morning but it was blowing a complete hoolie. The bucket part of the poo picking set was hard to control it wanted to fly off and had to keep my leg behind it to get it into place to do the job…phew! Decided it wasn’t a good morning to ride as eyes were watering from the wind in them and I just couldn’t concentrate, so, instead I just hung out with S&B while they calmly munched hay in their shelter 😉

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

But then this afternoon the wind dropped and the sun came out and made it a nice day for a ride. I got out about 1.30pm.

Stormy, again, was dirty but it was dry mud but I decided to ride Bella first. We did fig 8’s (walk then trot), serpentines (walk then trot) and leg yields (walk then trot) and she was light, willing and comfortable to walk, trot and offer some canter 😉 My wee girlie is back.

 

 

 

And then I took about 20 mins to half an hour thoroughly grooming Stormy, not just the dried on mud but to help get a host of winter coat out. He stood stock still while I did it, enjoying every second of the old coat coming out.

 

We did some sidepass over some poles then I said to him, ‘lets go up the hill, just do it, come down and we’ll call it a day’….guess what…he stopped a couple of times for a second or two but just went up, stopped to enjoy the view, then back down to the poles without a problem and I kept my promise by getting off him asap and giving him a big hug and treat 😉

 

 

 

SO…that’s March over now…bring on April 😉

 

• Shelley – HorseSavvy.co.uk