That was interesting!

The lovely Frances and Kayleigh were due to come and visit today. Frances had to cancel and spend time putting her relationship with Kayleigh first so I decided to ride alone and meet for lunch afterwards.

B and I got ready and left the yard without any thresholds. B was happy to walk next to me for a short while. We came to the first turn where the tree stump is and she had to stop, then hoped up on the stump. I didn't give her a treat because it was obvious she wasn't relaxed lol. We carried on farther this time, instead of our usual mounting place at the top of the old woods. I asked her to do some rock slide and sideways and some driving from zone 5. All the way down the straight to the viaduct. B found some nice stuff to eat then wanted to turn into the old woods like we usually do when we ride. Instead I asked her to carry on to the bottom where there is a sturdy enough fence for me to get on.

I climbed up, a little wobbly and asked B to line up. This took quite a while with B turning again and again. I did my best to be calm and patient and in the end I just laughed at how she was testing me. B began to stand for longer until  man appeared offering to hold my horse. I declined and politely told him it wasn't about holding my horse still, but waiting for her to give me permission. He must have thought I was crazy!

Soon enough I was on and B stood nice and still while I tried to tie up the lead rope while juggling reins and c/s. This took too long for B who decided she had had enough waiting and stomped off up the hill. I got into a right state trying to ask her to bend to a stop, tying up the wrong bit of rope which got tangled in her mane! So we jogged a bit/stopped a bit, until I was organised and could give B more support. We did a little bit of trotting just so she could move her feet. Then she was happy to walk and begin to relax. Phew. I wonder now if I could have done things differently, easy to think about alternatives now, sitting at my keyboard. But I did the best I could and I think it was ok. I sound unsure, don't I. That's because in an ideal world B wouldn't have jogged off, she would have been a partner and waited for me to be ready. Perhaps I should have jumped off but I felt safe and I always think if B does calm down pretty quickly it's ok.

She did calm down and I got to focus on c/s riding which I am very rusty at. We walked quite briskly and we tested trot again which made the c/s bang my shoulder. I remember that happening when first I rode Lizzie with the c/s which seems like an really long time ago now.

We weaved some trees and did some zig zag to focus B's mind. All too soon we were by the exit which surprisingly B couldn't go through. Usually nothing stops her leaving the woods lol. The bags of sand and a plank of wood that looked so safe on the way out now scared B who had to retreat and approach three times before we could go past. I praised her for being brave as we crossed the car park and then the road.

Back on the yard we had a mosey around and I played friendly game with the c/s and had a try and steering and stopping with it too. Stopping was really easy but steering needs a little work. I am sure we will get used to this quite quickly.

This evening when I went to find B, the second she saw me from halfway down the field she stopped eating and walked towards me. Looks like I did ok today then!