Five days to go.
We really are on a countdown now. Only five days until Tetley does the long journey south again. The timing is good. He is fit and well and looking very strongly for a connection with me. He needs a person of his own to concentrate on just him, and Mary Lou will be "his" all to himself. He won't have to share her. I'm packing his trunk for him already :-)
I meant to give Jazz a short quiet hack this morning but the wind was too cold, so we went indoors to do some stretching and bending in walk instead. I cut him some slack for being stiff from Friday's exertions and he was a good boy. He occasionally put himself deep and round (rollkur!) instead of long and low, but that was OK, his choice, and his back was nice and loose. I allowed the shoulder in and travers on the second rein to be worse quality than he can do, because I could feel that he was genuinely tiring.
Zipperoo continues to challenge occasionally to see if he can get away with not doing things that I tell him to - like go out with Tetley in the morning. He is getting the message that it doesn't work, and growing up with it. He is big, but still not strong, so I won't be able to ride him much this summer I shouldn't think. Mmmmm, might need a project horse :-) !!
My first event entry has gone into the postbox. This year, I have that deep thrill of excitement at the bottom of my stomach that I used to get in the past. I didn't get it with Tia, but I certainly do with Jazz. Tomorrow, we go back for a schooling session over a cross country course. The objectives are several-fold:
- to learn that fences are to be looked at and jumped. Not looked at, turned away from, turned back to and jumped. We'll do this over small ones so I know I can push him over them if I have to.
- to learn that on a cross country course the fences just keep coming one after another - we began this last week - the final run on the farm ride is six fences in a row, just like a course.
- to jump bigger fences to gain more confidence in his own ability. We'll try this if the first two go well.
- to do water, open ditches, steps and banks for the first time. We'll play around at the start with these, from a walk.
The forecast is good, so we should make it. I'm looking forward to it.
C
posted by cptrayes @ 5:44 PM
4 comments
4 Comments:
I am so ready to receive Tetley!!! We have a stable all ready, deeply bedded in wood shavings and I have all the necessary supplies except the hoof trimming tools which I will get this week. For all of you that don't know me, I really ride a lot. In the US, when people leased to me, they knew that I would not only take great care of their horse, spending my own money on supplements etc, but that I really would ride as much as I said I would. I have been addicted all my life and it only gets stronger. I love to learn from other people and books and, of course, from the horse. RIding and horse care are opportunities for life long learning. And then there is that feeling, when you sit on a horse, every time, that you are "home". I am sure you know what I mean!
Hi Mary Lou! I am so excited to know Tetley is going home to you. Now, are you going to create a blog to add to our "blog circle" to keep us posted?
We have to prod Holly a bit to do some writing about Tia for us and we certainly will want to hear how Tetley is doing.
From Caroline's stories of him, Tetley loves to work and will adore all the attention. He is a lucky boy.
And now that Jazz's secret is out--tell me to jump and I will--things are really looking up for the competition season.
Caroline, you might want to back Zipperoo while he is still not quite up to muscle. That way he will be more likely to accept you as the dominant partner. Better than waiting until he knows just how big he is. (As some of Jazz's behavior will testify.)
They ought to make a place for "dead" sheets and rugs to go when retired due to injury. I have a nice collection I keep thinking I am going to fix--not.
marylou, you must start a blog!
caroline, i would have though jazz was enough of a project for you, especially with zip to start as well
and i agree, Holly must be prompted quietly to join in!
///you might want to back Zipperoo while he is still not quite up to muscle.
I certainly will want to do just that - I'm not letting him get any stronger - I've seen the buck in him! Just give me a few days after Tetley is away.
Ah but Claire if I can only ride Zip for 10 minutes, what am I going to do on the day before Jazz competes and the two days after? And grass is free in summer :-)
C
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