Nearly there!
Fraught morning! The lorry broke down with my gravel on board with what the supplier thought was a big engine failure. Luckily it was just a hydraulic hose split and spraying oil everywhere, so after some hunting about locally the driver got a replacement. So we now have eight loads in and one to go this afternoon. The driver tells me that there is almost none left at the quarry and he thinks that my last lot will be the end of it. Whew, good timing eh? The "spreading" man last night was also broken down, so he didn't come, but he should be here this evening instead and then I'll know when I'll have a rideable surface. What fun.
Tetley was better today. Not quite sound on the flat in trot but not far off. Squiffy as opposed to wonky (I hope that you understand these scientfic terms?) And absolutely bang on powering up hills in trot, not a sign of a problem.
I took Tia out on the hillside to do some more work practising keeping her own balance. I just walked around in zigzags up and down the slopes, on a long rein in walk. I think she is catching on - she is relaxed and swinging her back for much more of the time than she used to be. She feels like so much bigger a horse when she does that.
Caddy's Gel-eze has arrived. Weird stuff. Feels wet but isn't. Looks like plastic and stretches like rubber. Weiiirrrd. It has a big hole right where Caddy's lump is. It's actually so stretchy that I would almost prefer that it didn't, but it certainly isn't going to cause the lump any problems even if the sides of the hole touch it. I will be sitting on him tomorrow when Superhubby is around. Just to make sure that he is going to tolerate a saddle OK. Then I still plan to rest him for the summer unless Tetley or Tia is out of action. I tried the saddle on him today. He is wider at the wither than Tia, but about 3 inches shorter in the girth. It will be interesting to see how big he feels to ride.
I don't expect him to be a problem, but he will never have had a big saddle on him, and he will never have had a rider's legs down by his side. So we'll see what he thinks of it all.
C
posted by cptrayes @ 1:56 PM
3 comments
3 Comments:
When Kenny Harlow helped me back Tucker, his rule was that I had to get on him every day for a month. I did not have to work him or really even ride him at a walk, just get on. It certainly wouldn't hurt Caddy if you did that instead of just leaving him alone. It's virtually stress free and does help settle them to the concept of being ridden in a quiet, non-threatening way.
Does everyone break down over your way? I seem to recall a certain lorry with a mind of its own too. Perhaps there are vibes in the air.
I am so glad you are getting all the stone you need before the quarry runs out. Some luck does seem to be with you there.
Tucker does a dive onto his right shoulder when I try a transition to his right lead from his left through the trot. I did the downward, circle, upward last night as an exercise. By the end, I did get a nice transition on the straight line, but I am sure it's not fixed. I think he's a bit weaker in his right hind and chooses to drop to the inside instead of engaging. (He did have a bit of a right stifle problem last year.) I think too some counter canter on the right lead will help him too as it will encourage him to be straighter on the right.
I too have to be careful not to weight my outside, left, seatbone at the transition as that helps push him to the inside where I don't want his body to be for the depart.
Only one comment - we want photos!!
I'm going to take that advice Jean and sit on Caddy every day or three.
I hadn't realised that there had been so many breakdowns in my blog! You're right. My lorry is 17 years old and they all have problems at that age. The gravel lorry was only 3 but it works very hard and is owner-driven so he obviously takes things to the limit before replacing them. Hopefully, that will be the end of breakdowns for this season!
I share your issues with the canter - it's far too easy to start sitting to the outside and then you never get the right strike-off. I watched a lesson once Where the trainer (Sylvia Loch) couldn't get the trainee to get right canter. It was obvious from the gallery that she was sat to the left, and as soon as she sat central, off went the horse.
Photos Saturday evening.
C
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