Character building

Zippy is coming into himself nicely now he is getting regular work. It seems to have developed his character and he is obviously keen to please and trying to anticipate what I want him to do. For example, he did a poo today right on the track, after we had only been in the barn a few minutes. I got off to clear it up so as not to tread it in, and turned around to find him there holding a foot up for me to pick out. I normally pick their feet out when I get off, and there he was saying "here you are, this is what you want next, isn't it?".

His shoulder-in on the left rein was a bit off today. I realised that he wasn't going forward, so we did a bit of trot and a couple of sides of canter and that put it right, pretty much. I am working out how to deal with his locking evasion, and it includes making sure not to tense my seat, but to stay relaxed and almost "floppy" in the saddle.

I didn't need to ride the other two (or any of them really) - they sensed a big weather front coming in this morning, and ten minutes before the rain arrived they went bananas. It was such fun to watch them galloping round and round the field. Stopping, rearing, spinning right in front of the house, and theb off again at full pelt, the three of them. George in the lead, Jazz in the middle and Zip at the back. Wheeeeeeeeee!

I'm looking forward to the cross country tomorrow. I plan for George and me to have a bit of fun :-)

C