Hi all.

As promised, an update on Mici and my progress.

On Tuesday, I got to the yard and what a typical August day. It was windy as hell and I know most horses including Mici don’t cope very well with wind that crazy. But I dared it and we were fine, not even half a spook. So while Diane and Polo walked around with us, we worked on both our fitness by trotting and trotting and trotting some more. We did spirals and leg yields and circles and we trotted and trotted. Once Diane decided they had enough of the wind, we started with some canter work. He was an angel, he coped so well with the wind, I am so proud of that boy. So after a whole hours ride, I had enough and my legs were tired and by this time at least Mici had started to sweat, a bit. He is getting so fit now and he loves working.

So on Wednesday, I only got to the yard at 7, so obviously no riding, but learnt a big deal in the theory lesson and also went to say hi to my boy. He is so cute, he knows his name and my voice by now and is very happy to wake up to come say hallo to me.

On thursday I got to the yard and Pam had just finished giving a lesson. As I was getting out my car I was wondering who is this horse in the arena, and to my surprise it was Mici. DD decided he was not in the mood for work, so he had a stiff leg, so to continue the lesson, Pam decided to use Mici. I am so proud of him. In the almost 2 months I have been working with him, he has come so far and it makes me and him very happy to work more.

Even though he had a 30 min lesson, I know him and he could easily carry on going for another hour, but first we went to the grass arena, just on the halter to cool down a bit and run around and play. We have great fun jumping up and down the bank en running through the dyke. He can even have a nice canter while I run next to him, this is always great fun. We jumped over a little upright as well, which is always fun. Then we just calmed down and chatted to Jay and Sky. Sky was so chilled while Mici and I were running around like lunatics. We settled in and Mici ate some grass, this helped sky to relax and soon after he joined in and was also hapilly chomping away at the grass. We went back to his stable tacked up and started our ride. We did a lot of canter work and he went so well. He is coming along so beautifully, but now I need to work on myself. I seem to be doing something wonrg when we canter in the right rein as he keeps on changing leg in the circle. I think that I try to compensate for his leaning in and put too much weiht on the outside that he thinks we are changing direction. Pam said that he did not do that in the lesson earlier, so it has to be something I am doing.

We did trotting poles and a lot of transition work and leg yields. Then I decided we have never done canter poles together, so we should try it and just change things up. This was almost a repeat of the time he bucked down the long side of the arena as he half leaped half bucked over each pole while we cantered. I think we probably looked like we were practising for the circus. We were ok though and he came back and we finished our ride. Hard work.

Till next time. Happy riding everyone.

Pam was attending to one of the horses who was not feeling well, So Charlene came along and gave me my lesson

Man oh man can you say Drill sergeant? We did loads and loads of trot work, from 10m circles, to Loops through X, 3 loop serpentine’s, 4 loop serpentine’s and you name it, then not to forget turns on the forehand. Charlene had me really working hard and getting Lily to move forward with my seat, not nagging her with my leg (it’s a HORRIBLE habit I have picked up) and I think we were getting it nicely eventually. But I must say Lily had me working hard as I did not have my crop, and she takes FULL advantage of that. But I was really impressed with how she performed

The canter work was really nice as well, especially on our bad rein (left rein), the transition was phenominal I could really feel her arch her back and spring me into the canter She really has one of the most comfortable canters, it’s like a couch that moves

After that we did some frame work and Filly is really getting it, I think once my leg relaxes and I break the aids down more she will find it a lot easier But she was softening beautifully in the walk and even gave us quite a few steps in the trot Very impressed

I just want to say a big THANK YOU to Charlene for teaching the lesson, it was really fun :) I was exhausted though when I got off, and Lily was sweating for a change! Looking forward to the rides the rest of the week

Happy riding everyone!

HEEE HAAA!

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It was good to start lessons again but the time spent with Diago out of lessons was also awesome.  Today all we did was walk and he did not ‘dip’ his hips like last weekend.  Also from the shadows on the ground I could see his tail was up a bit better too.

So we did the spirals in and out with Pam and I tried to practice my 3 loop serpentine not so much that as trying to keep Diago straight.

Still it was a fun morning.

After the lesson I was standing chatting to jay and rubbing Diago totally oblivious to what he was doing with his feet when he stepped on my foot.  I have been hoping it wouldn’t happen especially after seeing the damage to Anel’s foot – but it did.  All I could do was say eina, eina, eina, eina (naturally I must have looked an idiot LOL).  Diago realised his foot wasn’t quite right so moved it and like jay said he gave my feet wide berth  Diago is such a good soul!!!!!!!   Of course from my stupidity comes some learning and next time I will be watching where I put my feet too LOL. (on that note all I can say thank goodness it wasn’t Teddy’s foot )

Luckily there’s no bruising.

I also learnt what a carrot stretch is – amazing how the horses muscles can be seen quite well when its done. Pam showed me how to get Diago to stretch and its something I should be doing after each lesson.  Diago will be in carrot heaven!!! but as Pam says – he has to work for it.

I almost think that Diaogo wanted to hot foot it around the arena today.  there were times when it seemed he wanted to trot but that fizzled down to a lazy walk… then again there was a spurt of energy and so it went like that until we did the lesson and after the lesson while walking around it seemed he wanted to take off again.   when Diago is ready he will be the ever graceful animal and I will be the “Penelope” trotter once more LOL

…. and you know what???? … I look forward to it

Before the GAS website was redone I kept a blog on another webpage – so for those of you with spare time on your hands who might want to go back right to the beginning of our journey – go to this link.