Threesomes

I've ridden three horses today!

Caddy was a sweetie. He was afraid of the steps I use to mount, which I was quite pleased about as it shows he does have some spark. He's been so incredibly quiet I was beginning to wonder. He didn't give a fig about being mounted from the stirrup, although that will probably be the first time in his life it's happened. And he was really quiet to walk about and we even had a little trot - which was a true racehorse shuffle! (they never trot any distance in race training) His walk is to die for, but there is nothing of him! I had nowhere to put my leg, and a fixed tree saddle which is rock solid on Tia is very unstable on him due to his lack of width. I will swap to her WOW next time which will work a lot better I'm sure. It goes without saying that he was completely unconcerned about the lump on his back. I think I can probably even use a numnah with the geleze to stop the saddle getting dirty, which will be a bonus. It's a huge relief to know that I haven't bought a pig in a poke.

He hated the happy mouth bit, yomping at it all the time with an open mouth, so we will have to try something else. I will go straight bar snaffle next, then french link, then single joint if that doesn't work. He doesn't halt (they rarely do!) but he does have a propensity to drop his head and work with a flexed neck, which is a huge bonus. I think I will probably play with him a couple of times a week now that the arena is done. A few minutes at a time, just so he doesn't forget being ridden and need re-breaking.

Here he is:


Talking of the arena, I'm a bit concerned that having spent so much money on the gravel that it isn't going to do the job as well as I'd hoped. It's a bit, well, unlevel would be the right word I guess. I'll get a picture later if I can.

Tetley went out for some interval training today to keep his weight down. Two 6 minute canters with a 4 minute walk in the middle. I'd forgotten to wear my chaps and now my legs are rubbed raw! He is as near sound as dammit. You can't tell anything on a straight line but if you put him on a 10m circle in the school you can just see that one stride is shorter than the other.

Tia and I went for a lovely hack onto my meighbours' land which included two spins. The first was a strong canter, and in the second I asked her to gallop for the first time. I still think she was a racehorse - she has definite "gears" and I reckon she had at least one more in the bank. But she was fast, deceptively so because she daisy cuts, so you don't feel the movement. It was just the short space of time before we came to the end of the field that gave it away. I am really beginning to enjoy her now that her balance is coming right, and she is growing into such a substantial horse. If someone has to go for the winter it's going to be a tough choice. (Watch your step Tetley! :-)

See what I mean about the arena?



And it's unstable too - if you ride up the hump, it falls down and you have to jump off :-)




C.