I'm sitting looking .....
I'm sitting looking out of the window and wondering if I have made the right decision. There is the barest hint of a drizzle at the moment (12.15) but the weather forecast for this afternoon is still truly desperate. I had a look at webcams in Dublin, Aberystwyth and Liverpool this morning and the front seemed to be bang on time. If it does arrive as scheduled in about two hours time, the hunt is going to be soaked through to their knickers. That's not what I call fun, and it's why I am sitting looking out of the window.
Still, it gave me a chance to have a nice relaxed morning and I have schooled both the boys. Jazz had a tough hack yesterday,so we just walked. I am very, very pleased with his progress. We ran through the whole walk repertoire. Faster/slower, shoulder in, travers and half pass, halt. The half pass left, which is his worse side by quite a margin was very markedly improved with a lot of crossing of the front legs going on. He was so relaxed the whole time, too, which is not always the case with him, as we know too well.
I tried a little trot and it was a bit leaden. So I picked up the stick and tickled him with it, expecting it to make him tense. But it didn't. He understood, and picked himself up into a trot with a lot more suspension, at the same time as lifting his weight off my hands. I only did one circuit on each rein, just to establish in his head that "trot" now routinely means the big, punching pace that he is capable of. When I can get that established in his head we can ask for even more, and finally get a really good medium.
Radar. Yes Radar again, not radaR! He has done another relaxed session. Perhaps not quite as chilled as last time, when we rode after he had been out and when the others were in the stables, but really very good. Today I think he made a breakthrough. It felt to me as if he began to understand his own imbalance, and to make his own effort to put it right when it happened instead of waiting for me to do it for him. He really is a magnificent horse - huge, black and incredibly shiny with a temperament you'd travel a long way to get hold of. Fancy finding a horse like him, for the price I paid, almost on my doorstep :-)
The sky has brightened up a treat while I've been writing this. I'm going to be so cross if that rain doesn't arrive!
C
posted by cptrayes @ 12:13 PM
10 comments
10 Comments:
I recall once sitting home watching the rain on a show day. I had a late ride time, but was pretty sure I wasn't going to go. Then, with a few minutes to spare, the sun came out. I loaded up and headed off. Made the showgrounds in time to warm up for my test. (Dressage) When I got to the arena, the judge said, "Well, I'm glad you're here, I've been waiting since Christmas." Apparently nearly everyone else had scratched, but they had been forced to wait to see if I arrived. I guess when I picked up my number, the show secretary told them I'd come and they were stuck waiting for me...nearly the last ride of the day. I still feel a little guilty, but then again those were the rules.
May the rain come pouring down to assure you you've made the right decision.
In the meantime, it sounds as if you made some excellent progress with both Boys.
The rain certainly arrived down here :-) Knickers dry, so not all bad but poor scent so not a great day out... Suspect you haven't missed much LOL!
It arrived, Jean. I've never been so happy to see 22 men getting absolutely soaked on a football (soccer to you!) pitch in my life :-)
You were wearing a raincoat then Nic? If I was allowed I'd go in the rain too, but here it's wet knickers or nothing!
C.
I can't believe you just wrote that! Naturist horse riding - now there's a thought.
It was gorgeous here this morning ...turned into a right maky day of gales and rain though..............
:-(
people meet my lovely brother, who has been known to ride his pedal cycle with no clothes on - trust you, Pandy!
C :-)))))))
Gorgeous would be overstating it, Mandeigh but it wasn't bad here either. This afternoon though - yuk!
C
Everyone from huntsman on down had full kit on today - waterproof coats, waterproof trousers and of course the obligatory silage tape to tape trousers to boots (also waterproof)...The entire hunt would have perished years ago from pneumonia if we didn't wear waterproofs ;-) The horses's tack, mind you, is another matter...waiting for saddles to dry out but it will take another 24 hours I think...
I'd go out if I could dress like that Nic, but our lot think we should be grateful if we are allowed to put our collars up, and we can't even do that until the master has. It's absolutely ridiculous!
C
It is a bit, but I suppose they aren't out 3-4 days a week so its more of an occasion(!) Even at opening meet, where we try to dress "properly" about half the field had waterproofs on - its also handy if you haven't got a clean shirt and stock ;-)
It must be an Exmoor thing, I think - even in the old photos they all have macs rolled up behind their saddles. New people (inc me!) all start off in "proper" clothes and within a week are fully kitted up! LOL
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