Yeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeha!

Ha ha!! Hee hee!! I'm still grinning from ear to ear but I couldn't post until now because I had to go out straight after getting home and unloading.

We've been jumping hedges. BIG ones! We did a few stone walls and some timber first and he was just keen as mustard. We came up to a sizeable hedge - 4ft 6 minimum I'd have said, wide too. He went for it. A few strides off I thought - mmmm, perhaps I'd better kick on to make sure he knows we are going for this one, it's a bit big - and he flew. There was another later on that didn't need ANY encouragement for. He's a star!!!!

That's the big difference between him and Jazz. They can both jump brilliantly, but if you try to push Jazz into a fence, or give him any encouragement at all, he backs off and is frightened by the pressure. Radar just takes it as reassurance that he really can jump what's in front of him, and he goes for it.

The new bitting arrangement with the latex wrapped curb and two reins worked perfectly for control and he was still pulling into his fences nicely. We did some really difficult stuff today with some big drops on the landing - no problem. I couldn't be more chuffed with him, I really couldn't.

It was a lovely afternoon too, and we were on the side of a valley with views right across the other side. The sun shone and all was right with the world for nearly four hours. What a great horse he is! More hedges next week I hope.

C