On saturday i lunged pc for the first time and got so carried away i didnt even notice it was raining.  pc is awesome and listens but he takes chances – angelique had to reprimand him a number of times!

i must say i didnt really feel comfortable lunging pc for the first time.  it was easier lunging teddy but then him and i have a little more history than pc and me.  i went home and started to read the book pam has lent me.  so when i arrived at gas on sunday bright and freezing – i was ready to go!

had my lesson on teddy and we did a few exercises and boy are my legs hurting today – pams such a drill sergeant! lol   teddy wanted to canter again and this time i was ready.  he kept lifting his left leg but i sat him flat so he didnt go anywhere but on the trot

after the lesson i walked with pc rather than lunged him.  he listened so well it was amazing!  pam called us into the arena to join the group lesson but on foot.  deedee was playing up but angelique had a firm hand on him.  lily/tristan and lisel/? flew past so well even deedee when he realised he had to work

after a while pc and i left – again he was so calm, polite (except when he nibbled pams scarf ) and obedient.

after pam finished with the group i spoke to her about the lunging. so she showed me a few things which when i tried it – worked.

looking forward to tuesday when i shall try what i learnt and see how pc reacts.  the lunge will then happen slowlyyyyy….

ok  so day 1 (14.06) doesnt really count as that was the day THE decision was made – but i did walk with him and loved every moment!

friday the 15 of june marks a significant turning point in my life – one of HUGE responsibility!  i started to half bait Perfect Catch aka PC.

Day 2 (16.06) …  in order to start building the trust relationship, both ways, i started walking with pc in the lunge ring.  the only memorable thing for me is the three lovely round bruises on my arm where he decided would be a good place to have a nibble   the “crop”i  used was a piece from the local shrubbery and it did quite well until i broke it

Day 3 (17.06) … was another walk around the lunge ring after pam showed me the correct way to walk with a horse and surprise surprise pc actually did not try to give me more lovebites and he listened quite well.  i did have the teddy eyeballing us from the grass arena – it felt like i had two lasers boring thru me lol.  after walking with pc i rode teddy and wow! what a ride – all he wanted to do was canter.  i had to shout to pam to ask what he was trying to do   i had such fun and i have to admit i was egging him him on (subconsciously of course as pam rules ) to canter.  we ended the day off with carrots all round!

Day 4 (19.06) … another walk around the lunge ring but faster this time.  pc had been lazy and of course i matched his stride rather than the other way around but not anymore after pam put us right!  i also make the mistake of looking at him when starting to walk off.  again no lovebites yay!!!!  we also walked in the sand arena.  pc was sooooo well behaved in there – much better than in the lunge.

Day 5 (21.06) … it was dark-ish when i took pc to the lunge ring – i dont think we spent more than 15 minutes there before moving off to the sand arena for about 5 minutes.  i also used the lunge whip which i managed to get caught up between his legs more than anything else – i blame bad co-ordination of my limbs on that one lol  pc was so patient with me as well but he did show his disapproval by not always walking on! (i dont blame him either).  i also bought him a new flymask, halter and lunge rein

this weekend i will start lunging him and am so looking forward to it.  i mentioned last night that i wake up and the first thing on my mind is pc – what i have to do, what he is doing, its just pc pc pc and more pc!  oh well at least i am not lying awake worrying about work

Well…. what can i say!

Today i CANTERED.

It was totally awesome and unexpected.  After a few rocky starts, Mickey needed to go into canter from walk, we got going.  All the time I spent watching other riders posture in the seat whilst they cantered esp. Tristan and Anel – definitely paid off.

Mickey is also very responsive.  The trotting went well and I managed to get him to move a little faster with my rise.  He had me panting more than himself.  I think I shall have to find myself a hat with a fan and automatic watering system  LOL.

When pam asked if we should canter it was almost too good to be true.  And all it took was to lift the outside leg back and squeeze.  The first couple of rounds I forgot to bring my leg back down and as a result nearly lost the stirrup. heels down and knees in and relax was all that was going thru my mind. Of course all the co-ordination too incl. turning my shoulder in and keeping head up.  The most important thing I did keep forgetting – was to breathe!  it took a few rounds to get going and not trot but when the canter came – bloody hell! I was riding a horse finally.

There were a few times where I forgot to ‘ride’ the saddle and landed up bouncing up and down.  It was so funny and all I was thinking is that I hope the earth tremors were minor   (LMAO!!!)   but then I just relaxed and let the horse do the work.

Mickey survived and I live to canter another day…

For my saturday lesson I chose the Teddy over Mickey – whether this was a good decision at that time or not – was something yet to be determined.  Teddy is still such a comfy ride but my! has he gotten lazy!  The last time I rode him I got so frustrated with myself as I could not get him to move how I wanted him to no matter what I did.  Eventually i gave up.  However this time I managed to move him with my legs, moving in, moving out and getting him to just move.  I hardly used the crop.  When I untacked him, he was so sweaty  he must have really worked hard (oh ok then it was still a little hot too  )

In the last two bootcamp days of december, Diago and I spent lots of time trotting right and doing circles.  I miss that gorgeous beauty.  At least I had the privilege of giving him a bath after my Saturday lesson.  Each time I walked past his stable this weekend I could just not bring myself to look in it for fear of bursting into tears.