Sunday again.

I wish I could ride more. I will just have to wait for Spring/Summer when the days are longer. I am still unable to just hop on and go for a ride in the arena. But I am thinking about it and once I get over this little hiccup about rolling in the sand I will try again!

Breeze was pretty relaxed today. We had a warm up in the arena as we usually do along with two dressage riders warming up. The minute we got in the arena we got a very nice online follow the rail going on again and Breeze really seems to like this. I got lovely driving game from z 5 and B stayed in the track even on the corners. Back up over poles, jump, turn and face, circle game, all the usual stuff. Breeze was in danger of going intro a few times but I really didn't want her to go there. She feels pressure when there are other riders around and I think it's time to work through this and find a way that helps her to not go there. If I time it right and 'catch her' before she starts to go using friendly game she doesn't go there and we can carry on.

Saddling up was great even with B standing on the pedestal while I put the halter on. We got to practice some 'put your head down' with just a hint of pressure on the halter. I got on from my huge bale of haylage just around the corner from the courtyard. Always good to mix it up and do things differently. We went and waited by the mounting block for Sandra and Bert then turned and made our way to the gate. B met some thresholds as soon as we got to the end of one stable block so I asked her to go behind the pony block and we met up with Sandra and Bert and crossed the road.

Breeze was very relaxed most of the way. We played eat and move on, trotted some of the mile and 1/4 and took it in turns to lead. Some of the trotting was hard going for me with B very joggy and me not relaxing. Sandra reminded me how I could slow B by my rising at my pace to ask for a slow trot and it worked. We then got some lovely relaxed trot along the old woods and in the lead.

We passed a couple of really big rides or 10 or more horses and riders. Breeze was really calm and didn't try to follow the first time. The second group were coming out of the pub car park into the woods as we got near the exitand it was too much for B. I had to ask for lateral flexion and we turned round and round until the other horses were gone and we could leave the woods.

That's another Sunday ride gone in a flash. I am sure this weeks hanging out and play has moved our relationship up a notch or two. Sandra noticed B had her head lower for most of the ride and her breathing was quite quiet instead of B puffing like a steam train.

I reserved the horse box the other day for our Parelli course in May. It's starting to feel like it's really going to happen now. Trying so hard not to be excited about it just yet!