Breath of fresh air.

Zippy was in an all-four-feet-off-the-floor-and-come-down-with-a-clatter-of-feet mood today. He wouldn't let me get on, he kept swinging his bum outwards and his face towards me, looking cute and twinkly. After five failed attempts at leading him to the mounting block, I finally smacked him on the side of his nose to make it clear that I didn't want the dopey-eyes treatment, I wanted to get on, and he stood like a good boy the next time.

I’m glad I was in balance with the first spook he did, because he shot across the road. The third time, again at nothing that I could see, just a blade of grass in the verge, I was fed up with him and I shouted at him to stop it. There wasn’t much more ride to go by then, but he was very quiet for what there was of it!

Jazz was doing a slug impersonation today. I don’t think he really wanted to work. I kept having to push him forwards, and it wasn’t until we reached our interval training place that he lit up. And that’s exactly what he did – I could’t hold him even in a pelham – off he went for the first run. He didn’t gallop, just a fast canter, but that was only because he hadn’t thought of it, and not because I managed to stop him.

On the second run, after walking back down, he was off again and I was very naughty –instead of making him slow up like I'd asked him to (and been ignored), I gave up and pushed him into a gallop. Ooh, it was fun, but now he’s been rewarded for pulling, he’ll try it on even worse next time. Half way up, he took a deep breath ..... and then carried on to the top like a normal horse.

I wasn’t going to do a third run, but what the heck, he was up for it and so was I! On the way home, he was tired but very relaxed so I just thought I'd use a nice big open field to see if he has any propensity to do a flying change. I put him in canter right, his worse side, did a loop, bent him left and changed the leg aid. He changed behind and later in front. My book says that's good for a first attempt and much better than changing in front first. I did one more, which he did the same but a lot quicker, and then we went home. We both had a smile on our faces :-)

C

ps I'm, very busy, day and evening, for a couple of days. I might not get time to write until after our, hopefully, cross country training session on Thursday.