Should have packed my parachute :-)

So there I was on Zippy, out on the recently mown meadow, strolling casually down towards our take-off point for our canter. Not concentrating on anything except what a beautiful day it is here today. When suddenly we put up a pheasant from right under our feet, which went with a big beating of wings and he spun like lightening, flinging me off the side. I thought for a moment about hanging on, realised that might set him off seriously bucking or bolting, which would have been very dangerous, so I dropped to the floor on my side and barely even felt the landing on the soft ground.

Zippy ran for it, which was a worry since I had not shut the gate at the top because it's very difficult to lift into place and there was no stock on the field to get out (except now one loose horse). I climbed the wall and fence into the road, so that I could catch him if he ran for home, and walked up to the open gate, where he was belting round and round inside the field. He came to the gate when he saw me and said "oh thank goodness you are here to save me!"

With some trepidation, because he was a bit aerated still, I got back on and went back down and cantered back up, all with no problem at all. He was tuckered out when I got him home though!

I also rode Jazz this morning. His early walk work was lovely, free and easy, with laterals on demand. But the trot - another story. He just would not settle into the rein. He was leaning, backing off, chucking up his head on the corner, going flat on the straights, bent and generally every which way but nicely forwards. I brought him back to walk and got him straight, which was enough of a challenge. Then I tried trot again but it was no better. So I put him on a circle and sent him forwards - well :-) - we did the motorcycle wall of death :-0 about six times in trot before he realised a) he was not going to get to canter b) I was not going to hold him up, and unless he got his fat backside underneath him and his shoulders in line in front, he was going to fall over. That worked! He put himself into a rythmn and settled to a lovely, consistent but light contact.

Now that we had forwards I could ask for straight. Once I had forwards and straight I could ask for longer and shorter. And we got it on both reins and then stopped as our reward. He seemed mighty pleased with himself too :-)

The contrast between the two is such fun! Jazz has to be taught to extend, but when he has learnt it his power will make it awesome. On an open field, Zippy popped into extended trot just because he turned a little downhill and picked up speed. He's a complete natural at it - under come the back legs and away go the front ones , with a huge, huge stride but no rushing or tipping onto the forehand. So different and both so lovely - they are asleep in the sun right outside my window as I'm typing - idyllic :-)

C

Countdown six days. Not a day too soon, Jazz is heavy breathing in trot on the arena.