Another outing

Jazz loaded in under a minute this morning and took only one handful of food as a bribe to get the rest of the way in after putting all four feet straight onto the ramp. I shut the partition, then opened it a few minutes later, then took him out and put him back in again and the second time he needed no interim bribery at all, he just went straight to the bucket and ate, at the same time turning so I could shut the partition. Next step is to put the ramp up and leave him for a few minutes alone in there. Then reload him again. And if that goes to plan, then a trip up to the Cat and Fiddle and back without unloading is on the cards. With any luck, we will be able to go and have a play showjump training when Tia has to go to our training place for her flu jab (the vet has a hospital there too, saves the call-out which otherwise costs over £50. It’s cheaper to spend the diesel and pay for arena hire while I’m there too).

Tia went showjumping today. The place where we went to used to be one big indoor school and one normal sized outdoor. They have now built on an additional normal sized indoor, which gives us an indoor warm-up for the bad winter days. And that allows what used to be the collecting ring to be taken into the space for the showjumping course, so it’s now huge and absolutely marvellous. It's a fabulous as a faciliity now.

Tia behaved really well and is jumping very well indeed. She doesn't really care whether she knocks them down or not, which means we normally end up with some faults when she taps a fence, but she is great fun to ride and so easy to take anywhere. Her canter had improved hugely from just last weekend in the dressage. She was responding really well to a strong half halt aid, which meant that I was able to gather her up when she got unbalanced and put her back onto her hocks to spring for each fence.

I managed to miss a fence out in the competition and had to circle, but she was great and did not bat an eyelid at any of the odd fillers or either of the two doubles. Oh, and I had put her up a height too, the round was 3ft all the way except the first one, which makes it the biggest course she has ever jumped. And to be honest, I felt as if it was too small for her, she is already capable of more. I shall probably put her up another 2 inches in two weeks time, and see how she feels at that height.

I left Jazz in the barn again while we were out with Tia, but he was much quieter this time and I think next time he may be left in the field, though with the gate open to the stables so he doesn’t jump it to try and get back in to see if Tia is in there :-0 Generally, he has calmed down completely about being left alone, but he has stayed a very vocal horse and “talks” to Tia and me all the time. I absolutely love it.

I rang Victoria yesterday to see how Tetley was and she said “you’re not getting him back!” so I assume that they are getting on well :- ) She also said he was the yard favourite, which is lovely. I forgot to ask the one important question which is “is he sound?” which after all is the whole reason that he is with her and not me. Perhaps she’ll tell us, because she tells me that she is now following Jazz’s progress. It must be difficult for her, I think, to have bought a horse that the owner didn’t really want to sell. I think that must make it more difficult to feel as if they are really “yours” but I hope that is happening as he approaches a whole month in Cambridge on Friday (yes, really, a month!), because he most certainly is “her horse” and not mine any more. I’m afraid that Jazz has managed to completely remove any sort of sting from having lost him, which I think is probably brilliant for all four of us :- )!!!

C