Compensations

Smartie didn't feel the need to turn the lights on last night. There was a covering of snow everywhere and the night was totally clear. So there was plenty of light bouncing around from the snow and the yard security lights and the bit of moon. Otherwise there was no real change in his behaviour today. He jumps at any unexpected movement and some movements that he should have been expecting, and any movement which is done too fast, however used to it he is. And he scans his environment constantly for clues even when there is absolutely nothing going on at all. I have stood rock still some way away and watched the three of them and his behaviour is subtly quite different from the other two. But he is quiet and not too stressed at the moment, though I would never call him relaxed at any time, even when he does not realise that anyone is around, and when nothing at all is going on.

Tetley and I went out for a smashing hack down the roads, with the fields all covered in snow. The temperature was below freezing, but because there was no wind it was lovely out in the countryside. He is sound in walk, and sound trotting up hills, in fact he is powering his way up them. But on the flat in trot he is "squiffy". Not totally unsound but definitely a bit "squiffy". Technical term that :-) ! He could be a lot worse, certainly, and at this point I'm pretty happy.

Tia is the biggest compensation I could possibly have hoped for. I took her out for a hack and I am pleased to report that although I'm not aware of her ever hacking out on her own before, she was perfectly happy to go. And we met the milk tanker and she didn't give a damn. She isn't quite happy on her newly barefoot feet yet, but she's doing well. To my total surprise I have managed to get Scooby's back boots to fit her fronts, with a bit of padding. Since he was a strapping 17 hander and she is a slight 16.1, I'm surprised to say the least! But I shall save £110 buying her a pair of boots and that's a welcome bonus right now.

She is a pleasant challenge too. I haven't met a horse so welded to the floor in front since Scooby was a 3 year old 5 years ago :-) ! I have to keep on and on pushing her out and telling her to carry herself, not to expect me to hold up her head for her. She will cotton on eventually, but it is a bit of a battle right now. Unfortunately, what schooling she did have in the last few months concentrated on keeping her head down instead of getting her shoulders up and her back swinging. I think they were concerned about her habit of throwing her head in the air, but she hasn't done that once since I changed her out of a jointed bit. These horses sure are a puzzle that you can't solve by tweaking one piece here or one piece there, aren't they? - all that happens is that another piece goes haywire!! And at the moment, trotting Tia the way she wants to trot is like sitting on a sewing machine
:-) :-) . But I am having great fun working on her schooling, and she is a class little horse in the making. I'll get you a picture with me on her if you want one??

My plan now is to "resolve" Smartie's situation and then to go to Doncaster in May and get myself a "reward" for being brave - the best and cheapest (I'm out of money!) 3 or 4 year old big ex racer I can find there. Meanwhile if anyone else knows of anything young but ridden, going cheap for behavioural reasons, like Casper last year, I'd be interested in hearing about it.

Thank you everyone who has been writing with support. I value your thoughts and support immensely.

C.