Some progress on all counts

I think that my arena has paid for itself already. I rode Tetley out there this morning and he did some super canter half pass. He didn't really want to work at first, and when I used to ride out there on the dirt surface, (before it got too rocky), I never managed to get good stuff out of him if he started like that. But now, a little perseverence and we get some really decent stuff. He was SO sound. I'm planning a farm ride visit soon if this carries on.

Then Tia had a workout during which she threw a number of strops about how difficult she finds a canter transition. How strange then that after repeatedly and calmly being asked to do the same thing, along with being stopped after a stride or two if she threw herself into it, she managed to produce several lovely transitions - though of course she got them right on one rein and then it was "impossible" again on the other when I turned around!

We ended with jumping over a decent size fence which she did with huge enthusiasm. I hope that means she has turned a corner with the jumping but we won't know until we get her back into a competition situation. I jumped in my dressage saddle :-0 ! I put the stirrups forward (there are two sets of bars) and shortened them up, and jumped with my knees off the front! She flew. She is very, very athletic. I hope when I do sell her that I manage to find someone who wants to go on with her, because I'd love to know how much she is capable of. I have a suspicion it's at least Intermediate and possibly Advanced too.

Their feet are amazing after working on the grit. Their soles are polished smooth. Whether it was going to happen anyway I don't know, but Tetley's heels have never been so fabulous - proper seats of corn, proper hoof wall, proper bars, proper white line. They are all exfoliating frog too - Tia and Caddy in completely v shaped onion-skin layers!

I'm so sold on the WOW saddles that I have decided to sell all my other three saddles on eBay and put the money together to buy an event flap one with a flat seat. Lorna has come up with an acceptable "second hand" package and is leaving it with Linda for me to pick up tomorrow. I will try it for a few days and then pay for it if I am happy with it. And then I HAVE to stop spending money! I will have none left for my old age at this rate.

I'll get a new pic of Caddy soon, his metabolic rate has just dropped again and he is leaving his food. He is looking very different now from the original photos.

C.