Cool and minty
It was cool enough today to work inside the barn. And since I am totally bored with going up hills and working with no boundaries, I did, with all three of them.
I wanted to try Caddy with a new bit, a new saddle and a saddle cloth. The saddle was a big success. Tia's fits him fine, and the beauty of air filled saddles is that you don't disarrange where one horse wants the padding by putting it on another, the air just shifts about to where it's needed. I love it! I used a saddle cloth over the geleze and that was brilliant too - he did not react to the lump having a more solid cover on it at all. And as I hoped, the lump is softer each time I ride, as if the geleze is massaging it. I may ride him more often than I was planning to just for that reason. Just a few minutes a day should do it.
He was funny about the steps again, but I was on my own today and I managed to get on him in the end. Mind you, I did catch him unawares while he was having a poo :-)! He didn't like a straight metal bit any more than a Happy Mouth, so next time we'll be trying a French Link. He doesn't understand staying on the track, he will consent to change rein just about, he takes an age to stop but he is well balanced. All perfectly normal for a racehorse. What is not normal and is more pleasing, because only 1 in maybe 5 or 6 of the ones I have had before have done it, is that he does reach forward with an elegant arch to his neck quite instinctively. I'll be capitalising on that of course. He's as quiet as a lamb too, we even did a few circuits of trot.
BUT, BUT, but but but but ....... He is TINY!!!! Really there is nothing of him when you are on him. He may be taller and longer than Tia, but at the moment he rides like a much smaller horse than her. I have my stirrups two holes shorter just to be able to put my leg on his sides. We'll see how he goes on, but I feel completely underhorsed and I can't imagine keeping him next year if he doesn't fill out very substantially.
Tetley was fine today, did his absolute best walk work and consequently got to stop after only 20 minutes, there was just no point in carrying on after he'd done half pass so perfectly.
Tia - well what a revelation! The work on rough surfaces appears to have paid off triple time. She did not shrink back in walk AT ALL, and her trot work was absolutely excellent - she was trying really hard to give some suspension. It was all an order of magnitude better than the last time we were in the barn. I'm so looking forward to having more space on the arena to do some more work with her.
Talking of which, the spreading man says he can do it this week, so next weekend at the latest I should be out there on it :-)
C
posted by cptrayes @ 6:33 PM
7 comments
7 Comments:
I still think wee little Caddy will grow into himself. Up first, and then out. From his pictures, he looks like there is a lot more horse than you are describing, so I'd say he has a lot of growing to do in all directions.
On the other hand, it sounds as if Tia is doing her very best to be your horse of choice. Time will tell, of course, but she too is coming into her own.
Wouldn't it be great to have a crystal ball to see your little herd in a year or so? That way you'd know for sure what the potential actually is.
Hotter than heck here. I have a midweek show and my times are 1:09 and 2:52. Heat of the day, I fear, although thunderstorms are in the forecast. I guess it's going to one of those days at the showgrounds. Yuck.
By the time winter comes I might just have room for Caddy......:-)
If you ever come to visit Mandeigh I shall be inspecting your suitcase before you leave!
Tia will almost certainly never be my horse of choice, Jean. The position is already taken, Tetley, and I only have room in my heart for one horse that "can't be sold". I've lost a few in the last 25 years, enough to know that there's always another one out there somewhere that I will love too.
So I don't have huge problems with the idea of selling them, as long as it's to the right home. Tia is wonderful, and has exceeded all my hopes for her already. But she just isn't quite "different" enough to really make me unable to part with her. It's too easy to see how I could just go out and find another like her. Tetley? No way, he's unique (never thought I'd ever say that about a horse!) Caddy - mmmm, the elegance is breathtaking. He may have to stay, tiny or not, I've just seen him trot and canter around the field with the others and you can't take your eyes off how he moves and his presence. Tetley also appears to be totally sound trotting madly round the field throwing a wobbler because the weather has changed. :-)
I don't envy your heat, I'd rather have rain than that! Good luck though.
Spreading man says he will do the arena this week some time. Other than that, no news today because I'm not riding.
C
caddy will grow, i agree with jean...
I hope and hope and hope you are right guys! I have had one that I bought at 3 who was 16 hands and she never grew a millimetre between 3 and 4. I like him so much it will be a shame if he is just too small for me.
C
I bet you can't wait until the arena is done...what is the surface?
It's gravel between 2mm and 6mm Mandeigh. It flows as soon as you put any weight on it, and Tetley feels like he's having a foot massage as soon as he steps on it. It won't pack, but it will freeze. And yes, I can't wait! I keep hoping every time I drive home that it will be done as I look down from the top of the road. No such luck so far!
C
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