I luuuurv you baby!

This morning Jaz and Butkins were having a love-in. Butts was scratching Jazz's neck as high as he could reach underneath it, and Jazz was scratching Buttie's back, over the stable door. Of course they had been apart all night, but it still surprised me that Jazz was so affectionate towards the little chap.

I have found out that Radar is not a "pick up and put down" horse like Zippy. If he is not ridden for several days he is bursting with energy and just wants to go! That'll teach me :-) So we had a little trouble settling, including a bit of half-rearing when he didn't want to take a contact. Nothing too serious if it's knocked on the head now. (The behaviour, not Radar!!) He would not do anything but throw himself into trot, so we ended up forced to do motorcyle wall-of-death until he had tired himself enough to settle (a-a-a-ages). Then we got some reasonable trot. It's very lacking in rhythm but he is beginning to accept the bit and keep his shape. It's good progress, it just feels very slow compared to the warmblood boys who are born doing more than he will do after a year training!

I rode Jazz too, just very relaxed and trying to do a session on a long rein. Relaxation has never been his strong point and he actually tried to make me pick him up after a while by threatening to walk off the arena. I think he found it hard work to be left to balance himself all the time. But that's why I did it, because it's good for him! I also didn't want to risk getting too strong with him if I am still a bit tense about Zip and don't realise it.

Zippy looks great, we just have to keep him that way for another few days.

C